Checkmate
by iluvaqt
Summary: X-over DC Comics - Connor's origin. Post Doomsday S8E22. Oliver returns to Star City and a series of life changing circumstances forces him to take a long hard look at his life and those important to him. Oliver/OFC
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville or any of its characters. DC Comics owns everything else.

Summary: Nobody wants to be a pawn. Everyone wants to be king, and everyone knows a queen is to be treasured, respected but above all feared. Olivia never imagined her life would include; superheroes, espionage, near death experiences or secret government organizations but destiny had other plans.

Setting: Post Doomsday. AU. A lot of creative liberties have been taken. A little from alternate verses, new and old timelines.

Notes: There won't be many of these. If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer in IM. Olivia is an original character, so please hang in there, love her or hate her, she's got a story to tell. Thank you for reading.

**Chapter 1**

Olivia walked down the street, scrounging around her handbag for her keys. Usually she had her keys in hand before leaving indoors, security conscious habit but she'd been talking to Tammy and grabbed her coat and bag from the desk clerk while trying to convince her wayward friend to stall calling her mystery man for at least one more night. She was far too eager and she'd send the guy for the hills. Guys liked to chase and even though her friend was pretty, it would only win her a callback, not a steady boyfriend. Standing in front of her little Volvo, she stomped her foot impatiently. Her handbag wasn't that big, how on earth did things always manage to get lost in there.

_'Because you have far too much in-case-of-emergency rubbish in there,'_ _her father's teasing voice reminded her._

She jingled the bag, hoping the sound would help her source her keys faster.

"Hand it over," he demanded.

Olivia felt a hand tighten around the back of her neck and force her against the car, and as she felt the cold of the metal through her clothes, she could picture the gun he might have hovering behind her head.

Slowly out stretching her hand bag with her left hand, she took a breath and calmly let it out. "There isn't much money in there, and there aren't any credit cards. Just tell me what you need and I'll..."

He shoved her against the car again and roughly tore the handbag from her grasp. She felt him back away. The stink of cigarettes wasn't as potent anymore.

"Don't move," he hissed in warning. He then released the vice grip he'd had on her neck.

Olivia slumped against the hood of her car. So far the thundering of her heart had kept the adrenaline surge coursing through her long enough to give her a clear head, just a little longer. She turned her head enough that she could glimpse his face. She had a photographic memory, she wouldn't forget him but she didn't need to let him in on that fact.

The man was wearing a hooded jacket, sneakers and a dirty pair of very worn jeans. Swearing angrily, he dropped her bag as he flipped through her wallet again and again.

"Twenty dollars? That's all you got? You dress rich lady. You drive a Volvo. Where's the rest?"

Olivia stopped breathing at the sight of his face, he had a black eye and a split lip, it look fresh. There were faded bruises on his neck and now that she could see his hands, there were blisters and bruises on them too. Her eyes flickered back to his wide green eyes. He looked scared for a moment, before his features turned angry again. "Don't look at me," he yelled. He shoved his hand in his jacket and angled it at her. "Give me your watch or I'll shoot you."

Olivia felt her stomach turn in knots, he needed help. If she gave him her watch, it might get him $50 dollars but he needed more than that. "Look please, I want to help you."

"Shut up," he growled.

There was a slight whooshing noise and then her assailant was on his knees clutching his shoulder.

Howling in pain, the thief tried to stumbled away from her when another arrow hit him in the calve. He hit the ground heavily.

There was only one archer currently prowling the streets toting green arrows but she'd never head of any being embedded in bodies. Sure enough, a leather clad, bow-wielding man dropped to the pavement a few short paces away.

"Leave him to me," a synthesized voice said.

Olivia dropped to her knees next to the cowering man and fished for her phone. Her fingers dialing, she hit connect before he reached them. "You'll clear off, if you know what's good for you," she warned, narrowing her eyes at him. So much for his being one of the good guys.

"Hey, he was mugging you, would you have preferred to be the one on the ground?"

Olivia fought the urge to slap him. She whipped off the hood of her 'would-be mugger'. "Does he look threatening to you? He's barely sixteen-years-old."

_"911, what's your emergency?"_

"Fourteen," the boy groaned. "I'm ta---all," he stammered.

Olivia shrugged off her coat. "Crap, he's going into shock. Help me." Looking around, she discovered that the green archer had disappeared.

"I need an ambulance. We're outside the Fremont building, I have a bleeding fourteen-year-old here. Please hurry."

Dropping the phone, she crawled closer to him and lay her coat over his chest. "This is going to hurt," she whispered in his ear. "But there will be less questions."

He nodded, his bruised lips quivering. "Pleas--se, don't ca--ll 'em."

Olivia felt her heart skip a beat, she hated whoever they were and herself in that instant. She'd do everything she could to help him, but first there was something she had to do and it wasn't exactly going to help him.

Guilt plagued her relentlessly but she ignored it as she snapped off the quiver from the arrow in his leg and pulled the arrow through.

The boy groaned and as she put pressure on the wound, his eyes rolled back in his head. Plucking a scarf from her handbag, she wound it around his leg and tied it off.

The second arrow was going to be a lot easier with him unconscious. He was curled awkwardly on his side in semi-fetal position, she cursed inwardly in every language she knew. If there was another way to do this, she hadn't thought of it yet. She fingered the area around the site and gave the arrow a light pull. It came out easily, and the wound was clean and not bleeding heavily. It hadn't gone in as deep as she'd suspected. No major arteries had been hit, for that she was intensely grateful. She hit the boot release on her key chain and tossed the arrows in. Closing the trunk with her elbow, she hurried back the the boy and pulled him into her lap. Putting pressure on his shoulder with her hand, she began praying for the ambulance to hurry.

The sound of sirens pierced the eerie silence and she felt tears sting her eyes. This was going to be the beginning of a very long night.

The next four hours were spent pacing the corridor in Emergency department at Star City Metro. The police had questioned her extensively. They were anxious to locate the boy's parents. She'd begged them not to, she told them what the boy had said and asked if they could have someone at the hospital speak to him first. It was likely he was running away from home when she found him. They looked at her skeptically. "You think that's how he got the arrow wounds?"

Olivia threw up her hands. "What I do know is what he asked me not to do. He said don't call them and I don't think he meant you guys, because he heard me talking to emergency services and he wasn't trying to get me to hang up on them."

"We have a couple of guys working the scene. Are you sure there was no one else there?"

Olivia shook her head. "I just came out of the building and there he was. If you want to verify, I left my friend about few minutes before I called 911. She works out of the Fremont building." Olivia wrote down Tammy's number and gave it to the detective.

The woman took it and shared a look with her partner. "Thank you for your help Miss King. Someone will be in touch if we need to speak to you again."

The Commissioner knew her father well, if thing got messy, she could have her father petition for temporary custody of the boy till family services could find out about his home situation.

There was evidence in her trunk that needed disposal too. Her thoughts were in overdrive and she could feel the beginnings of a migraine coming on. A gentle arm halted her frantic pacing.

"Olivia?"

Dr Wynter squeezed her arms and gave Olivia a hopeful smile. "We stitched him up and luckily, there weren't any big bleeders and the bones were all intact. I have to say though, the puncture wounds were clean and fairly small. It had to have been a long, sharp heavy duty blade to have not left any residue behind. It was clean in and out. Whoever hit him, came at him from behind."

"When I first looked him over, I noticed a lot of old wounds. I think he may have been abused."

The doctor with silvery gray hair nodded. "The cops had a photographer waiting till he was out of surgery. He snapped about a dozen or so pictures. I'm sure if he's got a file, something will show up in their database."

"Thank you, Cheryl. Will you give me a call when he's awake?"

"Come by in the morning, he won't be going anywhere." Putting her hands on her hips, she smiled at Olivia as she turned to walk away. "Tell your mom to call me, she needs to get out of her lab."

Olivia smiled, her mom did practically live in her office. "I will," she promised. Now that boy was out of surgery, she could rest a little easier. However her night was far from over. She had cleaned up in one of the hospitals bathrooms but her clothes were still a mess, she'd head home before going out again. A shower, a change of clothes, and some more supplies were in order.

**Six months ago**

Oliver finished his phone call to find Richard King glaring down at him. A black brief hit the desk in front of him with a resounding thwack and he fingered it closer, a bemused smile tugging at his lips. "I take it you've heard?"

Richard scowled. "This is nothing to gloat about Oliver. It's one thing to play in the same sandpit as the Luthors, it's another to spray paint your name all over their front door."

"It's legal and binding, I don't see how you'd have a problem with this," Oliver said leaning back, not bothering to open the leather folder.

Richard paced to the window and looked down from the top floor view Oliver's office had of the bay. "You bought LuthorCorp shares with company funds Oliver. Queen Industries and LuthorCorp are irrevocably tied. I thought you were smarter than that. I don't know what your game plan is but you could have at least done it through several holding companies or your privately with own funds. Or don't you have anything left?"

Oliver's lips pursed into a thin line. He knew he deserved Richard's scrutiny. After all the man was like a second father to him and he'd done nothing but throw dirt in his face for years both figuratively and literally. However in the last six, he'd worked hard to try and earn the man's respect and while Richard had grudgingly trusted him with control of his father's legacy, he still questioned his decisions at every opportunity. Just like any good father would, Oliver mused dryly.

"I know about what Luthor did, and I don't blame you for the bender you took a couple months ago, but if this is about revenge..."

Oliver launched out of the chair and grabbed Richard before the older man knew what was happening. "How long have you known? Did you help him cover it up? Did you know they were going to..."

Richard's face grew fierce. "Let go, Oliver," he growled. Richard was as tall as Oliver and he was a big man. He might not lift weights regularly but he was a dedicated swimmer. Daily laps of the Grecian style indoor pool kept him in great cardiovascular health and well-toned. Oliver had always been athletic even with his drinking and wild partying, but he'd give him a run for his money if the younger man decided to push his luck.

Oliver's rage cooled slightly and he let go of Richard. "I'm sorry." Hanging his head he slumped into the lounge by the window.

Richard went to the drinks table and poured himself a scotch and another for Oliver. Walking back to his young charge, Richard handed him the drink. "You know I have people around don't you?"

Oliver nodded. He'd suspected as much, Richard was always so well informed and for a man who wasn't even a board member of Queen Industries anymore, sometimes he knew more than Oliver himself.

"When you asked the Commissioner to reopen your parents' case after all this time, it was enough cause to get a couple of my own people back on it. I had a PI on it years ago but he couldn't find anything. We paid for professional divers to scour the wreck and had it pulled from the ocean floor to reassemble it. But ocean currents and salt water destroyed any chance we had at determining the cause. To be honest, it hadn't even occurred to me that after all is time someone might have a burden of guilt to confess."

"I still don't know if Tess told me because she wanted to give me closure or if she did it out of spite."

Richard sighed. "Maybe both. At least we know."

"I didn't buy into LuthorCorp for revenge. With a merger we will have more control over LuthorCorp projects."

Richard was silent for a moment, and then nodded. "Well with LuthorCorp in namesake only, and Tess' cooperation, maybe your plan isn't as disastrous as it looks."

Oliver smiled. "Nice to know I'll always have your vote of confidence."

"It'll be rocky for awhile. Stock points are dropping for both companies. Your hospital stay and the complete demise of the board of directors guaranteed a downturn. You'll need to close on that NASA contract. If you have to hand your tech guys a bonus, do it. An early shipment means Christmas'll come early." Richard didn't wait for a reaction from Oliver, he just collected his briefcase and headed for the double doors. "And come by the house when you're not busy executing hostile takeovers behind my back. Family's important too."

Family. It was true that Richard and his wife, Hannah, had always treated him like a son. Even as an ungrateful, disrespectful, social horror of a boy he'd been they'd never turned their back on him. He'd always believed it was because he thought Richard owed his father, or he'd made a promise but recently he'd come to realize it had to be more than that. These past few years it hadn't been necessary for Richard to continue watching out of him, or inviting him to family dinners, or even checking in on him when he wasn't trotting the globe. They really did consider him. Problem was, he never treated them that way. Getting out of the cushions he made a promise to rectify that. If Clark had taught him anything it was to value those who cared about you. After all, in his world people like the Kings were a rarity. Everybody wanted a piece of you for something. Although he guessed it probably helped that they had money to spare.

**Present day**

An hour later she was standing outside a familiar penthouse door. What was with playboys and roof-top apartments? Oh right, they were perfect if you where hiding a dual identity and needed ready access to easy escape routes. A lofty vantage point an obvious selling point when you traveled by zip-wire.

Using her key, she called out, "Oliver?" The apartment was black. She knew he'd gotten back last week but she thought having been in Metropolis the past few months she'd let him get caught up with the office before having to face family.

"Ollie, you here?" she tried again.

As she moved further in she was hit by a smell that nearly took her knees from under her. She held her hand to her nose and closed her eyes, instinctively processing the stench one odor at a time. Fruit citrusy - maybe oranges, decaying meat, from the sweet tinge possibly pork, she opened her eyes again and blinked at the sudden sting. She had to get rid of that smell. She hurried to the sliding doors that lead to the balcony and pulled them open. Sucking in a deep breath, she ran to the kitchen and spotted the culprits easily. A fruit bowl stood forlornly on the bench, untouched and full of decomposing fruit. She threw it in the trash, but not before she nearly gagged into the bin. There were vegetable scraps and meat cutoffs that looked at least several weeks old. She searched for the bin liners, there was no way she was going to be moving it as it was. The soup at the bottom would have eaten through the plastic already. Tossing the sludgy bag into the new ones, she tied it off before filling the bin with water and half a bottle of bleach. She would let it stew while she headed downstairs to the dumpster.

When she got back to the kitchen she discovered the reason for the poor housekeeping. There was a hastily scribbled note from Nona. "Immigration warning. Must go back. Sorry Senor Queen."

Olivia rolled her eyes. Men. Undomesticated the lot of them, with the exception of England's Butler alumni that is. She didn't know if she wanted to venture through the rest of the place if she was in for any more disasters. It crossed her mind that perhaps she could send Henry to clean up after Oliver first and then hazard a visit. With a sign, she gave up the thought before she could give in to her survivor's instincts. She'd have to suffer the surprises, she was here on a mission.

Mission - give Green Arrow a piece of her mind.

She paused at his bedroom door. She'd been in there plenty of times, some of those uninvited too but never in the middle of the night. What if he was naked? The thought made her turn. Maybe this plan would work better in the morning.

Shaking her head, she let out a breath and threw the door open. The sight had her stopping in her tracks. His balcony doors were wide open, there was broken glass, papers, arrows and all sorts of weapons strewn on the floor. Her first thought was that Oliver was no where in sight and that someone had kidnapped him. His bed was unmade but empty. Where could he... then she spotted it. A boot. Following the haphazard trail it lead all the way to his large walk-in closet. There was Oliver, passed out in the middle of the floor. Leather arm bands still on and buck-naked with an empty bottle of tequila in his hand.

A closet drunk, wonderful, that was so much better than a social drunk. Olivia straightened the bed, and went in search of a pair of clean boxers. Most of his clothes were littered around his closet and bathroom, he obviously hadn't done laundry since Nona left either. Pulling them on him, she was grateful he was facing the floor. Not that she hadn't seen flashes of him during his exhibitionist escapades but she would be handling him and having that part of him glaring in her face was way over their platonic boundaries. Rolling him, she lifted his upper body and dragged him to the bed. Unceremoniously dropping him into the mattress, she pulled the covers up and started clearing his room. She piled the arrows in the closet and swept the glass into a pile, before scrounging up an empty box from the kitchen and shoveling it all in. Next she gingerly picked up the bows and knives, depositing them on the bench in the bathroom. When her hand hit the cool ceramic basin, a wave of dizziness overtook her. She closed her eyes and leaned heavily against the bench. Her head fell forward till it met the cold surface of the mirror. Her breathing was uneven and her lungs burned a little. She needed sleep. Opening her eyes, she noticed something odd about the mirror. There was no refraction to her reflection. Straightening, she didn't let go of the bench. Her hands drifting slowly along the surface, she searched for a hidden catch or a button. Finding nothing under the bench top, she tried inside the drawers and found no joy there either. Taking a step back, she looked at the entire wall. The mirror took up a good portion of it but in the narrow space on either side were the Queen emblems. Not quite as grand as the ones in the living room with stained glass but these were three dimensional with wrought iron arrows. Moving on speculation, she reached out to touch the center arrow on the right size. It didn't budge. Sure that she was on the right track she pulled it. There was a sharp click, and her heart skipped a beat. She'd either cracked it or something was about to happen, either way a surge of adrenaline coursed through her.

With a low rumble the mirror lifted into the ceiling and the bench swung inward to one side. There was an entire room behind that wall, and it was as chaotic as Oliver's room had been. Drawers open, paper everywhere, more glass and from the empty shelving she could guess what were the equipment was supposed to be housed. There was a desk in the center riddled with what she could only describe as geek heaven and a monitor hanging on the wall the size of her family's LCD TV. Computers weren't really her thing. After having a minor break down at one in college, she vowed to use them as little as possible. Her Blackberry was the closest thing she'd been to one since. Heading back to his room, she collected his Green Arrow gear and put it back on the racks. She didn't bother cleaning up, she'd leave that to him. Out in the hallway, she picked up her gym bag and went back into his hidden room. Taking out the damaged arrows, she left them on his computer desk. His secret identity was safe for now. His reputation, for the most part, untarnished.

Feeling exhausted on every level known to man, Olivia stumbled for the door. She had no idea what had lead him to this point, but she hoped that tonight would bring some serious re-evaluating.


	2. Awakening

**Chapter 2**

Finally stepping into her apartment at around 3 a.m., Olivia sagged against the closed door. She was tired, and her head pounded. Woody the woodpecker or Jerry the jackhammer. Take your pick. It tended to happen a lot. She'd been to a handful of specialist, all of them wanted to sign her for research. PET scanners, MRIs, CAT scans, electrode modules. Every test left doctors both baffled and excited. After the second year of weekly tests comprising of memory games, brain teasers, and complex equations, she'd had enough. So she was different. There were plenty of MENSA members out there. She wasn't special. No matter what these so-called specialists believed. It had only taken her two days to realize that if she didn't start bodging her tests, she'd end up on someones radar and any chance at a normal life would sail out the window. No way was she going to subject herself to a battery of tests for the rest of her life, to be poked and prodded to find out why her brain processed and retained information differently to the average cerebellum.

It was a good thing her mom was a prominent, well-respected member of the scientific community. It provided her with access to doctors who didn't ask the regular questions, only too happy to skip formalities and drive straight into the science. For anyone getting too curious for comfort, her father being President of a third generation national law firm usually put them in their place. Even before she found out she was abnormally wired, she'd heard the conspiracy theories of secret labs dissecting people in the hopes of creating a superhuman.

Project 33.1. The note had mysteriously appeared under her dorm door one night. Attached was a story written by a reporter named Chloe Sullivan. It was an expose on human testing. She'd searched library archives, micro films and the internet, there was no record of the article ever being being published, it's dramatic revelations had never seen justice. Since then, she been trying to track down anything that would help her prove the story was legitimate. Chloe Sullivan was real and her past had been interesting to say the least. Reaching out to her and discovering the Isis Foundation, lead Olivia to the world of the meteor infected, which lead back to 33.1, which then brought her to the present and why she'd stopped asking questions.

Lately, she'd felt as thought she was being followed. It wasn't as though she had a distinguishable black van shadowing her or a familiar yet strange face always close by, it was just that she noticed things. Like her handbag not being in the same place she left it, her mail box lock getting stuck when she'd never had problems with it before as though someone had tampered with the barrel, and just that general tingling at the back of your neck when you knew you were being stalked.

After that initial note a few years ago, there hadn't been anything else until now. Three months ago, there had been another note. The handwriting was the same. _"Be careful, they're watching. J'onzz."_ That gave her another name to work with. Why this pseudonym J'onzz had contacted her was still a mystery. Olivia had searched every database she could think of and she hadn't found one trace of the name in any form. In reflection, she knew that moment was when her headaches had intensified. Over the past year, her research had uncovered information about shady government dealings with private firms, clandestine operations and unauthorized human testing on a regular basis. Her first thought had been to stop looking before someone caught onto her investigations and discovered her own secret, only to happy to add her to their list of guinea pigs. After receiving the warning, she'd spent a week of looking over her shoulder and threatening her doctors with a breech of confidentiality lawsuit the size of Texas, before she'd finally relaxed enough to see clearly.

Growing up she'd been a normal kid. What she considered normal away. She went to school, was labeled a geek due to her attention to detail and hung out with the cool kids. Cool kids as in mentally engaging. Gossip and watching guys flex muscles or try to out prank each other for attention was so mundane and frustrating. Very few of her peers had goals outside of hooking up or being popular. She gravitated to like minded individuals, ones with grand dreams. She'd help them work out the kinks in their plans being able to predict problems with their steps to fame and fortune before they'd even thought of which subject to major in. Now she knew it was because of her brain, not because she was a super geek. Olivia sighed. What a cool super power. _"What happens now, Pinky? Now we take over the world!"_

Having money worked against you in so many ways. Sure, you could have anything you wanted materially. But money didn't bring you happiness and it certainly didn't buy you love. Not that she felt she was lacking in either of those things. She had her parents, and it was more than she could say for her best friend.

Some would say it was weird having a guy best friend but Ollie just understood her. Well, maybe not as well as she'd like but he certainly got her quirks. Prospective suitors were limited in her world. Being rich meant that you were part of a elite circle. The world of socialites. Everyone understood how to act and what was taboo. You were protected from people who were just interested in you for status or money, mostly because everyone was as wealthy as you were. There was a certain code among the rich - Old money, built up through generations of hard honest work, and new money, the overnight millionaires or celebrities. Celebrities had their circle and the socialites had theirs. They rarely mixed. Celebrities were considered unrefined, according to her family's peers. She still remembered the disapproving looks Ollie had received on countless occasions for sporting models on his arms at society events. But then Oliver had shed any hope of landing in a socialite mother's good books years ago. His reputation was well cemented as bad boy territory.

Still, it was because of their childhood that her mother allowed Oliver to remain a part of her life. Their fathers had been business partners from the onset. Her father had ensured the stability of Queen Industries under its board of directors and the family fortune after Robert and Laura died. He'd shadowed Oliver's every financial move and refused to relinquish the rights his guardianship afforded. Even when Oliver came of age and no longer needed his protection from corporate vultures and cunning gold diggers, he felt he owed it to Robert's memory to ensure to continued success of his company. Her father still had a major share in the company, and no matter what Oliver tried to offer him, he wouldn't sell.

For a long time that stalemate had soured their relationship. Or it was one of the many culminating factors away. Oliver drifted away from them all. And through her junior years and most of college, she would never tell him but she had been ashamed to be associated with him. Her prom had almost been a disaster. Olivia had insisted to her parents that she didn't want to attend but her parents wouldn't hear of it. They had protested, insisted that it was a right of passage, so they dolled her up and found an escort for her. He'd turned up drunk. Her father had been furious, but her mother had calmly poured her cure-all down his throat and Henry, the family butler had shepherded them off for the night. Although she hadn't known any of that at the time. Her mother had told her that part of the story while giggling over tea one afternoon recently. Olivia didn't really enjoy that particular trip down memory lane. Oliver had sobered enough to act appropriately before she'd appeared to discover whom her escort was but to this day she wasn't sure how much of it he remembered.

After that embarrassing event, she'd lost touch with him. She saw him occasionally at family gatherings, when he decided it was worth making an appearance. And drunk, high or marginally sober he'd always had a girl or several attached to his person. For awhile, all she heard her parents arguing about was Oliver. He was the talk of all the gossip pages on a regular basis for all the wrong reasons. He seemed to be searching for the fastest way to blow an inherited fortune and set a record doing it. Even with solid numbers and a spotless track record the Queen Industries board balked at the antics of their namesake's heir.

Then he'd disappeared. When she'd read about the accident in the paper she'd felt the floor sway beneath her feet. He'd been a part of her life for so long that she hadn't thought of what it would be like if he wasn't. Curiosity begged her to find out what happened on that island and what happened to Hackett. The two had been attached for so long, and his polished death announcement had the makings of elaborate cover up written all over it. Why out of the twelve occupants on that boat was Oliver the only one to have made it off alive? When the press had asked him what happened he'd explained the hijacking. When asked if Hackett, his long time bodyguard and family employee had sacrificed his life to save him, Oliver had merely nodded, but in the interview broadcast Olivia could tell his tight lipped expression was caused by anything but grief for the man. There were days when the investigative side of her begged her to go digging, but she quelled the urge. Dredging up the past never did anyone any good and she realizes that she'd be jinxing a good thing.

Oliver had turned himself around. Although his island experience hadn't really improved his choices in women. He was fast and loose as he'd always been. He'd surprised her a couple of times during her college years. He dropped by with the pretense of checking up on her, when really she assumed he must have been dying of boredom and he didn't have anyone else to haggle. When he'd returned to Star City from his two year disappearance, he'd enrolled in college and had taken business and engineering. When he'd graduated with honors, his first job at Queen Industries had been working in the Communications Tech department as a junior engineer. He worked for years after different department heads, learning his father's business from the ground up, making a name for himself. He's successful in his own right now; he made his own money and expanded Queen Industries from his father's legacy. Sure, he had his vices and secrets like everyone else, but it had made him who he was today.

Olivia suspected the reason why she hadn't figured out he was Green Arrow before now. Firstly, she'd never seen GA in person, so it made perfect sense that visually there was no way of positively identifying him. Secondly, she'd never cared to investigate him. The Archer had been good for the streets of Star City, criminals were left holding their bags at the scene for the police to find. Muggers were stopped in their tracks and priceless art pieces thought lost to the ages were returned to museums around the world. Those she knew about because her father was an art buff and the reports always attributed the delivery of such goods to a man in green leather. Until now, she'd thought of him as a modern day Robin Hood, someone to inspire hope for the little guy, the underprivileged and downtrodden. Then she'd seen Oliver behind those dark glasses, staring at a bloodied teenager and all her illusions had been stripped away.

There was a reason for his downward spiral, she could see it in the pinched lines around his mouth, the stiff set of his jaw behind his gaunt looking cheekbones. He'd been drinking even before she'd found him in his penthouse. She had smelled it on his skin as he'd hunched behind her on the street. He had to have been drinking a lot for it to start seeping out his pores. He could have killed the boy going out like that. Or gotten himself killed with his senses dulled. Or fallen of a building, or lost his grip while on zip wire. Was he trying to kill himself?

Her headache intensified and she shuffled for the bedroom. Falling on her covers fully clothed, she fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

**Two days ago**

"Nice of you to stop by, Oliver. You've been so busy playing house with Miss Mercer in Metropolis we were sure you'd forgotten Queen Industries was your company."

Oliver smiled his trademark winning smile. Duncan Redford, his father's right-hand man, Vice President of Queen Industries was baiting him. They'd never warmed to each other. Redford refused to believe that he was anything but a spoiled, spoon-feed rich boy would didn't know a balance sheet from a lunch menu. He never let him forget that he'd nearly snowballed himself into bankruptcy before he was 21 either. "Solidifying our vested interest Duncan. Luthorcorp numbers are climbing and with Mercer Media Group well underway, it'll only get better."

Redford planted his hands on the table across from Oliver and leaned forward. "Which is more than we can say about Queen Industries holdings. The banks are breathing down our necks. We gave you time and we've decided we can't risk anymore. And after the stunt you pulled yesterday..."

Oliver frowned. Stunt? He was about to press Redford for an explanation when the man's face reddened and his eyes bulged. Oliver had been around Redford long enough to know he man was about to fry a gasket.

"And you stand there with the audacity to act superior. You're single-handedly ensuring this downturn takes us into the red."

"We knew that the accident would cost us a few points. That's why we needed the merger to-"

"You're a black hole Oliver, your R & D spending, your pet projects which we get very little or no return from, you spent most of this year bouncing around god knows where, when you're not in Metropolis. You've made a mockery of your father's business. Richard thought you were ready. Despite his stipulations and years of advice, the moment he releases the reins, you show your true colors."

"Now wait a minute," Oliver growled.

Duncan shot out of his chair. "You're not here to negotiate. The Boards vote was unanimous. You've got till the end of the day to clear out your office."

Oliver searched the faces of every department head at the table and knew there would be no swaying them. Fuming and determined to fight, he strode out of the conference room.


	3. Rock Bottom

**Chapter 3**

**King Bronsan and Partners**

Oliver had been in Richard's office for the last four hours, while both of them called every person they had to. With the intent of getting to the bottom of Oliver's corporate whitewash.

Oliver watched as Richard closed his communication portal, and set his computer to snooze. The lawyer had just finished a video conference with Oliver's accountant who was currently abroad. Oliver had heard snippets of the conversation while he'd been on the phone with his contact at the FBI. He felt as though the walls were closing in on him. Everything he'd built, almost everything he owned was gone and he'd only found out about it after getting fired from his own company.

"It's global. They've completely cleaned you out. Whoever it was, they were surgical. They started with the less noticeable movements on your accounts, mirroring your transactions over the past month, paying their own accountants and lawyers to solidify their dealings. The biggest haul was in the last twenty-four hours. While you were in your office on a call with Sentor Grellon, your doppelganger was accessing the vault, walking away with 2-million in bearer bonds. That would have been enough to get Duncan's shorts in a twist, but it was the signing over control of Queen Industries that really blew his gasket. I know you didn't do it but contesting the documents with legitimate witnesses will cost in time and money. The company register was changed and lodged two months ago. Sometimes these processes can stall but from what I was able to find out, it looks like someone at the Register's Office was bribed to hold off on sending out the revised register until yesterday."

Oliver paced the small, brightly lit office, feeling his blood boil in his veins. His whole face felt hot and his fingers itched to beat a pound of flesh. What he wouldn't give to go a couple rounds in the gym with his sparring partner right now. No doubt Walter would earn several broken ribs for his commitment, but Oliver couldn't spare one minute away at the moment. Someone had pulled his life rug out from under him and he had a bad feeling that he hadn't heard the bulk of it yet.

"First call I made was to TransUnion, they have a team working on your case as we speak. I got an e-mail from them while I was in conference with Bryce. All your savings accounts have been closed. Before they were closed the balances were wired to two accounts, half to the International Orphaned Children Fund, and the rest to a bank account in Mexico. The latter was drawn in full this morning. Had to bribe them but we managed to get video surveillance of the lobby at the bank, they insist that it was you. There's really no sweat off their backs, they made a hefty commission making a special clearance to release the funds less than twenty-four hours after transfer.

"How could this happen?" Oliver roared. Someone was laughing. Wherever they were they were laughing their pants off at him. There was no way he'd try to claim back the money from a charitable organization. He'd look like the worst kind of scum. As for going after the foreign bank, he might as well send them the shirt off his back while he was at it. The most he could hope for was some form of compensation from his banks. But even that was going to turn his life into a media circus. Not that it wasn't already bad on a regular day. They had been waiting for something like this. Oliver Queen the spoiled rich boy strikes again. He's finally hit bottom. What people loved more than worshiping heroes and icons in tabloid, was when those same people lost it all and became like everyone else.

Richard sighed and ran a hand through his graying hair. "The banks, the other lawyers, Queen Security, each of them claim to have had explicit instructions from you personally. There was nothing off about this guy, he had all the right documentation, his manner, the inside knowledge. Why would a pro be after you? Someone with this kind of ability, why risk the attention of impersonating someone as high-profile as you? This had to have taken months of planning, studying your habits, knowing your routine, tracking your movements, timing their play. For money? It's a big take but the risk doesn't make sense, they had to know that it would work. Unless, it wasn't about the money," Richard trailed off lost in thought.

Oliver was beginning to think the same thing. The reaction of the board was still cemented in his brain. They'd all looked at him as though he was insane or high. He didn't blame them, what kind person behaved the way he had, unless they could be excused for having multiple personality disorder. Or in his case, someone impersonating him right under his nose?

"I've been in this business for thirty years and I've never seen or heard of anything on this scale. Identity fraud like this is..."

Oliver threw his phone at the wall and it split on impact, pieces scattering in all directions leaving a dint in the plaster and a white scratch in the decorative burgundy wallpaper. All this didn't even cause Richard to flinch. "You didn't see the way they looked at me. That I had to be a lunatic to get up in front of them." Oliver laughed darkly, tears burning in his eyes. "I bet they thought it was befitting for a guy who spent a large portion of his youth doped up to lose his mind. Who hands off a billion-dollar company in secret and still turns up for work the next day?" Oliver went to the large glass windows and rested his head against the cool pane. He balled his fist and pounded at it till he felt a warm hand grasp his forearm. It was probably a good thing too, a little more pressure and he might have cracked the glass to find himself free falling from 12-stories up.

Richard was well versed in Oliver's temperament and had let the younger man ride out his mood till now. Considering what he was going through, he was entitled to a bit of a meltdown. Squeezing Oliver's shoulder, Richard when back to his desk to glance over the files laid out across its surface. Richard rubbed his chin and frowned, his brow marred with deep lines, he suddenly looked every bit his 64 years of age. "I have a man working on the logistics behind the theft but I know you have better PI contacts than i do. You should call them."

"And hire them with what? I still have credit card debts that would send the average guy screaming for the hills, which ordinary wouldn't have been a problem. I'd have Damian pay them at the end of the month and never look at it again. Now I have to find a way to stall off the banks till I find some way to play them before they try to take what little I have left. Cause oh right, I can't sell any of the limos or the new jet because they all belong to Queen Industries, which I no longer own. I can't even afford you!"

Richard snorted. "Not that you'd know anything about that."

Oliver gave him a skeptical look. Was Richard trying to say he'd been a pro-bono case from the onset? He was sure he'd seen payments to Richard's firm on the books over the years. Unless they'd all been for Queen Industries business transactions. He watched Richard wave him off and chuckle at his expression.

"Your father... never mind. You don't have to worry about the legal side of things. I'll handle everything you need done. It'll be taken care of. And you're not as done over as you think."

Oliver dropped into the chair opposite Richard's desk and quirked an eyebrow. "Now how do you figure that? He's sent me back to the stone age. The call I got before was from my landlord. Their withdrawal was rejected and I have till the end of the month to clean out, since that's all the bond will cover me for."

Richard sat on the corner of his desk with a small smile. "One of the few perks of being executor of your parent's estate, I know a few things nobody else does."

"Don't keep me in suspense," Oliver snarked, rolling his eyes.

"They couldn't touch your property trust because not even you can liquidate it," he said his lips quirking in satisfaction. "Your father had specific caveats, the properties could never be sold, only bequeathed to the next of kin. In the event of there being none, it would be donated to The Queen Fund in it's entirety to be used as they deemed fit."

Oliver smiled bitterly. "Good thing I'm still kicking then. I guess I could move back to the Manor, lease out the ranch in Texas and the house in Chicago. Live off the earnings and get another job while the courts play everything out."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Who's gonna hire a colossal screw up? You know Duncan's gonna make this public record."

"Like I said, we're handling things. You know, you could always pick up law."

Oliver snorted. "Still not taking you up on that. Didn't before, not gonna happen now."

"Am I such a terrible boss?"

Oliver shrugged. "I'm not good with anyone as my boss. It's why CEO was such a good fit."

"Things change, Ollie. One of life's lessons I always wanted you to understand was the gift of problems. Too many heirs of fortune are sheltered from all of life's problems. They have someone there to pay their traffic infringements, someone's paid their way into an Ivy League school, they have ten of daddy's platinum credit cards, they never know what it is to come from nothing. And when it's gone, they're finished. They never had to deal with the small stuff, so when the big problems come along and their safety net has disappeared -- you've seen the tabloids. It's never pretty. I've been there for you behind the scenes, watching, ready to help but I never stopped you from making your own choices and living with the consequences. I've seen you through many tough times, you'll make it through this too."

Oliver stayed silent, nodding numbly at Richard's words. It wasn't enough that he'd lost the people that he cared about most. Fate thought it fit to take everything that made him who he was now. How could he be Green Arrow with no equipment? How could he run JL operations with no money? People were going to suffer for his mistakes. If he'd been playing closer attention to his own backyard instead of trying to control Lex's these people would never have gotten away with their scheme.

"The FBI will here in the morning to get your statement. I'll have Shelley put together a list of all the information we'll need to have for them, and we'll write up a play-by-play account of your whereabouts when all these heists were taking place."

Oliver nodded. His brain not really mulling over Richard's words anymore. He was thinking about how to dull the ache that was taking over his whole body. He'd done his best to ignore it. The first stab had come when Clark had looked at him with accusing eyes. It had started to spread through his chest when Dinah had walked out of his door without a backward glance, it had threatened to cripple him when he'd taken in the faces of the board all staring at him with disappointment and disdain. He'd barely made it the few blocks to Richard's building before the tremors started. His hands were shaking, he kept his fists clenched to hide the movement. The ache was going to swallow him up. He had to get out, he had to drown out the voices in his head. He had to cure the fire in his blood that threatened violence. Bourbon, would fix it. It'd make him feel calmer, more in control. Maybe a bottle or two and this would all seem like a bad dream. He ran a hand over his face, some old habits you could never kick. Whatever he did, he needed to get out of Richard's office and out from under his sympathetic gaze before he cracked again.  
**  
That night**

Oliver didn't know how it happened, but he'd gotten pulled into a high-stakes back room poker game. After leaving Richard's office he'd spent the rest of the afternoon in Rusty's Bar. He'd drunk two companions under the table before taking a nap in a corner booth. He'd missed a phone call from Richard, no surprise considering he'd destroyed his phone and had woken up to Shelley shaking him around six o'clock.

Richard's secretary had passed on some 'good news'. Even though the board had felt justified in their actions - evidently they'd run up a list of incriminating mishandling aside from this latest debacle - they'd been gracious enough to offer him a consultant's position working out of LuthorCorp in Metropolis, on the proviso that he would remain an invisible part of the company, reporting directly to Duncan. The new owner was someone by the name of Alexander Powers. The man had yet to claim his windfall and Richard can't find much on him, other than the fact that he was an American business man with various substantial holdings across the globe. The man was a complete enigma there were no business articles, no press conference footage, not even a photo. The firm were going to get an information specialist to dig up something more. Oliver knew that was code for going under the table and breaking a few federal laws.

Oliver had half listened to her speaking before passing out when she'd stopped to check her messages. She must have been done with him, because she didn't bother him again and when he woke up later, she was already gone.

It was smokey, the only light in the room was the one globe above the table and there was a noisy radiator in the corner that kept breaking his concentration. Not that his brain was very clear to begin with. They'd already played three hands. The pot now included his 2k Omega, platinum watch and his custom built Yamaha, currently his only means of transportation. He had two vintage cars - a classic 1967 Shelby and a Hurtan Albaycin both of which were his father's but they were out of reach at the moment, sitting in the Manor garage 40-miles away.

He'd lost, not surprising considering he was having trouble even keeping upright and he'd been force to take a taxi back to his apartment. The bartender had spotted him the ride. Only fair, in Oliver's mind, considering it was his establishment that had robbed him of the rest of his valuable possessions, the two hundred dollars he kept in this wallet and the losses in the illegal poker game. Who'd have thought that this was how Oliver Queen would wind-up this week. Oh right, most definitely his double who was living it up on a Greek Island somewhere while toasting his indignity of being sprawled across the back seat of a rank, greasy, snail-paced cab that charged a premium rate. The door man had called security to help him to his penthouse. Oliver had spent the the next day in a daze, eating pizza and getting so plastered the police had turned up to find out what the ruckus was about. Not to mention he'd missed his meeting with Richard and the FBI agent.

Oliver had sobered a little after that. Pouring the rest of the bottle of Jack Daniels down the sink, he had stumbled his way to the bathroom, passing out in the bathtub till dark. It was around 7.30 when he woke again. The water had long turned cold and he could barely feel his toes. He hadn't shaved or eaten properly since yesterday. Climbing out of the bath, he felt his stomach growl and the room spin. Oliver put his hand to his head and waited for his equilibrium to return to normal. Pulling the bath plug, he turned on the shower and waited for the water to heat. When it was hot enough, he climbed back in and stood under the spray. After a few minutes he could feel pins and needles starting, he waited a couple more minutes before shutting the water off and climbing out.

Tying a towel around his waist, he padded out of the bedroom. The pizza had been left out all day and was already stale and for the first time he noticed that his kitchen didn't actually smell very good.

Running back for the bathroom, he made it to greet the porcelain express before he emptied the contents of his stomach. Getting to his feet unsteadily, he stared in the mirror. He's face was pale and his cheeks were slightly sunken. When had he stopped eating properly? He searched his memory for his last wholesome meal and couldn't find anything in the past month. He'd survived on protein bars while on the move as Green Arrow and on alcohol, appetizers, and the occasional take out order during business hours. His gaze drifted to the emblem beside the mirror. He'd been so busy playing catch up at the office that he hadn't patrolled since being back in Star City.

While that was good for his public image, throwing off any connection that Oliver Queen and Green Arrow might have in appearances, it didn't bode well for the streets.

Donning his gear, Oliver had been out the window in under thirty minutes. He really should have had a snack gone to bed. He'd been thinking that he couldn't screw up any more than he already had. He'd been wrong.

After stopping a drunk driver from plowing through the front window of a dry cleaning shop, using two of his trick arrows and a grappling line, Oliver had felt pretty good about himself. His mind in patrol mode, he'd momentarily forgotten his personal misery. At least until things had turned pear-shaped. On his return route, he had head a scuffle. Investigating, he noticed Olivia's car and immediately sprung into action. If he'd thought to use his binoculars first, he would have realized the guy had no weapon. if he'd stopped for even a second he would have seen that the guy was on the lean side and that his voice was put on. Instead Oliver had taken the shots, happy to teach the criminal a lesson. Thinking that this might even lessen his debt to Richard that seemed insurmountable at the moment. Instead he'd made a mistake. The incriminating glare of one Olivia King had been enough to make him sweat in his boots.

He was so royally screwed. The fates weren't done stripping him down yet.

**The next morning**

Oliver woke up in his bed, completely unaware of how he got there. He lay there for awhile staring that the ceiling, recounting the events of last night in his head. As the pieces slowly fell into place, the ringing in his ears got louder and the spots in his vision more numerous. He closed his eyes again. How much had he drunk again when he got home?

"Stupid, stupid," he growled to himself. Wasn't there a rule that you shouldn't try to shoot anyone while drunk? You weren't supposed to show up to work under the influence or drive a car. He's stopped a DUI last night and he'd been traveling zip line and wielding a bow and arrow. He'd officially crossover to the dark-side. Any minute now they were going to come barreling through his door to arrest him.

He sat up slowly, rubbing his temples. Aspirin wasn't going to cut it but he deserved this headache for trying to drown his problems in the bottom of a bottle again. He looked around his room. It was a lot cleaner than he remembered.

It was then that he noticed a familiar tightness around his biceps and forearms. He was still wearing some of his GA gear and a pair of boxes he didn't remember putting on. With a frown, he got out of bed and went to the bathroom. It was tidy in there too. As he stared into the mirror, the rampage he'd taken last night came back in full force. After he'd come back from patrolling he'd thrown practically everything he'd gotten his hands on. He'd been out of control, frustrated with himself, angry at life but most of all he hated how completely alone he felt. He felt like he'd truly lost everything - more than just the money, he'd lost his friends and he'd lost their respect.

Maybe Nona had come back and cleaned up after him. His housekeeper wouldn't ask any questions, she'd been with him so long that she knew he could be a little unpredictable. However, partying naked was something he hadn't done in years. He'd have to buy her an extra big box of her favorite Spanish chocolate in apology for his abysmal behavior.

His was dreading the Green Arrow room. He'd been particularly destructive in there. For a frightening second he wondered if he'd trashed his system. Victor would have a fritz. He reluctantly pulled the secret lever and waited with baited breath. He deflated with another frown when he saw everything neatly displayed exactly as it should be. He wondered if he'd hallucinated his tantrum until his eyes fell on two broken arrows lying on his glass-top desk.

Numbly, he walked over and picked them up. They were stained with blood and dried bloody finger prints dotted the shafts. The answer to all his questions hit him in an instant. Olivia. The clean up, moving him to the bed, the Green Arrow room. Oliver gripped the arrows tightly and clenched his jaw. Growing up, she'd always been unnaturally intuitive. If he'd gotten them into trouble, she'd always found them away out of it. He could never beat her at anything except for archery, but considering her talent at darts, Oliver was beginning to suspect she let him win. In his youth he'd teased her relentlessly about being a nerd and a daddy's girl. He'd embarrassed her more times than he cared to remember and he'd been especially callous when they'd attended the same functions. She'd always been so proper and he'd resented how acceptable she was. She made it seem effortless, whereas nothing he did impressed anyone. So he'd stopped before ever really trying. All these years and she never once shut him out. No matter how many times he left her waiting somewhere or he'd cut their calls short, or skipped town for months on end without so much as a goodbye.

Oliver remembered telling Lois that he never regretted leaving anyone behind. He hadn't, not until this moment and he realized the friendships he'd abused, the people he took for granted. Olivia had every right to despise him for the way he'd treated her, but that was something about the Kings, their grace seemed to have no limits. At least not where he was concerned. His Excelsior buddies had not so subtly hinted that Olivia must have had a crush on him. It had made him cruel to her. At the time he excused it as acceptable adolescent behavior. To him she was like his little sister. It had been the only way he could think of to try and push her away. And for awhile it had worked, she'd stayed away from him. It wasn't till he looked her up in college that he'd seen her again. And she'd been the same girl he'd always known, sweet, and too smart for her own good.

Now she knew that he was Green Arrow. What was she going to say? He knew instinctively that she'd keep his secret. Taking the arrows in the first place had been her way of protecting him. What had it cost her to do that? He went to his system and boot up. The first thing he did was check hospital admissions. He'd find the kid and somehow he'd set things right. Then he'd figure out how he was going to fix things with Olivia.

Oliver found what he who he was looking for at Star City Metro. The boy was still sleeping, but he'd told the nurse that he'd tracked down the father. The man had already lodged a missing persons with the police. The local precinct were going to be sending someone over in an hour. One look at the dad and Oliver knew why the boy had run away. He looked like the kind of man that got skunk drunk and then laid all his problems on his kid. Looking at the boy in the hospital bed, Oliver felt even worse. He'd called in a favor to one of his psychologist friends to talk with the boy and his father. Then he had contacted the administrator of The Queen Fund. Once he had the boy's name it had been easy to arrange for them to help him. If the doc deemed the boy's father unfit, there would be a place for the kid at Orchid Bay School, a Queen funded, fully-chartered prep school. He'd have a safe place to stay and learn, giving him the best start to life he could have.

It was only ten o'clock and he felt a little better knowing he'd done something right for a change. He'd screwed up so much lately, he hoped that by helping the kid, he was starting back on the right path. The lookouts at the top of Star Bridge weren't very busy this time of year, the air chill alone chased away even the best of enthusiasts. The fog also obscured almost the whole cityscape from view so it was no use for sight seeing, but it was a great place to think. You were above the clouds, it was quiet and on a day like to day, you could guarantee you'd be completely alone.

"Thought I'd find you here."

Oliver almost jumped out of his skin, teeth-chattering as he turned in search of his friend. He found Hal hovering to his right, a green glow emerging from the mist. "Not at all conspicuous."

Hal chuckled. "It's the uniform."

"Back from where this time?"

"A little planet called Ameridos on the outer rim. Stopped a renegade from stirring up trouble. He pitches himself as a bounty hunter but he doesn't play by anyone's rules and doesn't care who gets hurt so long as he gets paid. He's in lock down for skipping bail for the last lot of charges he failed to serve."

Oliver snorted. "A bounty hunter who skips bail."

"He never worked for the Guardians if you're thinking about the irony there." Hal folded his arms and drifted down, coming to stand next to Oliver who was leaning on the safety railing.

"Someone played me and took everything I have. Richard's calling it identity fraud and I have an interview with the FBI this afternoon. Thing is, I'm thinking that this is penance somehow for things I've done. Mistakes I've made. I have a strong case but it'll go to the courts and they'll put me under the microscope. Something I can't really afford, considering..."

"You're a vigilante and there are some who consider your methods terrorist-like in nature."

Oliver shot Hal with a narrowed look, who lifted his shoulders with a shrug.

"I only speak the truth," Hal said defensively, his lips quirking in a grin.

"Humph, well as I was saying, I don't think it's fair that shareholders and taxpayers should foot the bill for something I let happen. Richard said something that got me thinking that I should use this as an opportunity. To make something else of myself, be someone better. I don't know maybe try Zen philosophy or something, help me focus."

Oliver studied Hal. He'd rarely seen his friend so quiet or lost in thought. He was staring off into the clouds, seemingly looking at nothing.

"There's a place in Ladhak, Himalayas. I had to bail out there once, engine malfunction. Got lost in the mountains for days before I stumbled onto a monastery. One of the most restful and enlightening experiences I've ever had. Spent a couple of weeks there before they found a guide to take me to the nearest town with a phone. Never believed in destiny or fate before this Green Lantern stuff but I always felt that I was supposed to have gone there. It gave me a better understanding of culture and helped me see what I really needed for myself."

Oliver stared at him in disbelief. "Never took you for an inner peace kind of guy, always thought the 24/7 upbeat outlook was just part of the GL package."

Hal chuckled. "Nope, there are some grumpy Green Lanterns out there. You should meet John, he used to be a Drill Sargent. Never can relax."

"I have to see, Richard. You gonna be around for awhile?"

Hal shook his head. "Just a fly by. Wanted to surprise someone," he said with a wink. "Be safe, Ollie. I hope things get better." Hal gave him a nod before he flew off.

"Yeah, so do I," Oliver said to himself.

**Richard's office**

The older man looked perplexed before a slow smile spread across his face. "You want me to tell them to drop the investigation."

"This is my opportunity for a clean slate. Anything I do from now on is completely up to me. I don't have to answer to anyone. I don't have to worry about my father's business or investor satisfaction, I don't have to worry about my public image..."

"They're not going to leave you alone because you're not on the Forbes rich-list anymore, Oliver."

Oliver nodded and grimaced. "I guess you're right there but if I disappear for awhile, this will have a chance to die down and when I get back I plan on living differently."

"Less flamboyant?" Richard asked with a quirked brow.

Oliver chuckled. "I don't want my whole life for the past year or more picked apart by lawyers, agents and whoever else takes a fancy to this-- whatever we're calling it. If the bank agrees to pay out the outstanding debts as compensation, we can settle this all out of court, right?"

"I'll make them the offer, if that's what you really want. Can you live with letting this guy go?"

Oliver stood up and smiled. "Oh, I'm not letting him off. I'll track him down eventually. I'll just settle that one myself."

"And Queen Industries?"

"Try to get it back. Give it to Duncan. He might be a real piece of work but he knows business and my father hired him."

"That's it?" Richard leaned back in his chair studying the man he considered as his own son. There was a change to him, a renewed vigor, a sense of purpose in his eyes. Two days ago, he'd seen a man defeated and recklessly aggressive ready to strike out at anyone who crossed his path. This man was the opposite, calm and resolute despite his circumstances.

"I guess so." Oliver shrugged.

"What happened last night?" Richard asked.

For one panicked moment, Oliver thought that Richard might know everything. That he'd pieced together Oliver's reluctance to submit to the FBI's complete history analysis. Or that Olivia had told him. He shook off the thought and flashed his trademark grin. "I had a defining moment. Gave me a little perspective. You don't really find out you're headed in the wrong direction till you hit the dead end."

"Where are you planning to go?"

"Here and there, maybe visit a few old friends."

"You got enough to get you started?" Richard knew that Oliver would never ask for charity and he was ready to phrase it just right if the younger man needed money.

Oliver nodded. "I told the super that I could be out in a couple of days if he had someone waiting to lease. Seems someone up there's cutting me a break, because they had a waiting list for my building. The bond's enough to get me where I need to go. Thanks for everything, Richard," Oliver said extending his hand. The older man gripped it and pumped it heartily.

"Take care of yourself, son," Richard said with tears in his eyes. "Leave a number with Shelley, so we can reach you. If we need to."

"Will do." With a wave, Oliver strode out of Richard's office and a few hours later, out of Star City.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** It's great to see that I'm not the only one who wants to have this story happen. Thank you **Guardian of Vampires **for putting this on alert. :) And **Talk-Ape**, thanks for reviewing.


	4. Hope For Tomorrow

**Chapter 4  
Twenty nine years ago**

Richard paced nervously outside the hospital room waiting for the doctor. When the doctor finally arrived he all but pounced on him.

"Easy Richard, we've been waiting a long time. A few minutes more isn't going to change much."

"But on the phone, the nurse said she was--"

"Her heart-rate changed, but it was only for less than a minute. I wanted you here because we haven't had any signs since. You used to visit every day Richard, you haven't been for a whole week. She's on a ventilator and has been for the past year, are you ready to discuss taking her off?"

Richard looked at him in alarm. Hannah was his life. They were college sweethearts, and they'd been through so much together he couldn't imagine his life without her. He was a mess as it was. Taking her off life support was officially giving up and he wasn't there yet, he wasn't going to give up on her. It could be said that there couldn't be two more opposite people, he was lawyer, grounded and reasonable, she was a dreamer, always pushing the boundaries of science, often toying with ridiculous theories but they'd fallen in love the moment they met and nothing could keep them apart. People had tried, their parents, their jobs, a few they'd once called friends, and now an accident had put her in a coma, for a little more than twelve months. Today would be their second wedding anniversary. They'd missed their first. He'd been planning a trip to Hawaii. It was so hard to tear her away from her research. The only he wondered if she loved more than him was her pet project. Her dream to create a super cure. There were many who tried, it was rumored that Lex Luthor had come close, but his lab and all his research had been destroyed in an electrical fire. They're still not sure what happened in Hannah's lab. Police had found no evidence of foul play and when the doctor's had run blood tests, they'd found a strange serum in her blood. Having no evidence to warrant an investigation, Richard had been left bewildered as to what had happened to his wife.

The only explanation anyone had suggested was that Hannah may have experimented on herself. It was common in the field of science when researchers were denied extra funding or access to human trials that they resorted to drastic action. Richard had never dreamed that Hannah would take such a risk. She had to have been sure the cure would work. There were many viruses and bacteria in her lab, some highly contagious but all the vials where accounted for and nobody had accessed her lab the day of the accident. Hannah had been the only person inside.

"Is there anything significant about to day, anything that may have triggered her subconscious? We've known for a long time that this isn't a normal coma. Her breathing is labored and her heart-rate is slightly elevated for a rested state. Her brainwaves indicated that she's dreaming but when she came in, we had to bring her back twice. She's been on the machine for a year, Richard. If she's going to breathe on her own, it'll be now or never."

Richard winced as thought he'd been physically struck. All this week he'd been dreading going to the hospital. Every day looking at his fragile wife had been like a physical blow. Her skin as pale as the sheets she lay on, his heart bled a little more. What was he supposed to do? What did she want him to do? They'd barely begun their life together, so many people were telling him to let her go but how could he? There was so much that they still had to experience together. He had so many dreams, she'd wanted them too. The dream house, the world trip, a little girl, maybe a little boy too. A sob left his throat and he fell into the chair in the hallway.

The doctor stood expectantly opposite him, waiting.

"Today is our second wedding anniversary. She's only thirty-four years old. I can't do it. Not today," Richard cried. He buried his hands in his short brown hair, his wedding band glinting in the sunlight.

"Then at least talk to her. Maybe in her own way, she'll tell you what you need to hear."

The doctor had left him, and Richard had sat in the hallway for a long time before working up the courage to go to Hannah's room. As he stood in the doorway looking over her, his heart broke all over again. Each step he took closer was harder, as though his feet were made of lead. His family was rich, and he had a good job but the bills were stacking up. He'd used up the health insurance cover in the first six months, he'd been covering the expenses out of his own pocket since. His parents refused to loan him money. He knew they thought they were doing the right thing, tough love. They thought Hannah was already gone. They didn't want him mourning over her and continuing to 'waste' away over her. They'd thought she was good person, but they'd never grown attached to her. Never really welcomed her as a daughter.

Slowly, he forced his feet to move. Pulling a chair closer, he took her hand. It seemed to twitch under his fingers and he blinked, shaking his head. He'd been gone too long. He was feeling things that weren't there. He squeezed her hand.

"I'm sorry I've been away. I could lie and say works been to busy but you'd see right through me anyway, so I'll tell you the truth. You're killing me, Hannah. How can I get up in the morning without you beside me? How can I eat when all that I can manage is toast, I can't eat the food that house keeper cooks. Did I tell you about her? Mom forced her on me. At least she cleans the place, I guess. I'd happily eat your frittatas for the rest of my life if you'd just come back to me." Tears coursed down his cheeks as he pleaded with her peaceful face.

His throat closed over and he buried his face in her chest, sobbing quietly. A few seconds later he froze when he felt a feather-light touch brush the back of his neck. He froze, not daring to wake just in case he might be dreaming. He waited, barely breathing as the fingers threaded in his hair and started gently caressing his scalp. She'd done that often when she'd crept into bed after he'd just started to fall asleep. He'd find her blindly and pull her close. They'd kiss lightly and then fall asleep in each others arms.

"Happy Anniversary, honey," she whispered sleepily.

He sobbed into her chest, and balled the sheets in his fist. Of course to her it would seem like just yesterday. She didn't know that a full year had past. He lifted his head and searched her face. He saw the instant concern in her eyes at his expression and then realization as she took in her surroundings.

"I was in the lab... I..." Hannah looked down at her right arm and then back to his face. "Richard, I'm so sorry." She clamped her eyelids shut and grit her teeth, a single tear leaked out and trailed down her cheek. "How long?" she asked quietly.

"A year," Richard answered his voice breaking. He sat up and cupped her face with his hands. "Forget all that, just look at me. Too long I haven't seen those blue eyes. I feel like I can finally breathe again if you'd just let me see the sky."

Hannah let out a pained laugh and opened her eyes to look at him. There was so much love in his gaze but she could see the dark circles around his eyes, and his sunken cheeks, the untamed beard. What she must have put him through. He was a shell of the man she remembered. How he could have changed so much in only one year. It pained her deeply to know that she had done that. In that moment she swore she would never be so reckless or selfish again. She would focus on being a wife first. She'd put him first. She opened her arms and he fell against her hugging her tightly. The rest of the day passed in a blur with doctors firing questions at her and running a battery of tests. She confounded them with her miraculous recovery. Of course, when life returned to normal and she had a chance she would run her own tests. After all she knew what she was looking for and she had an old blood sample and DNA charts to use as a comparison. It was only later that she would discover that her lab, along with all her research had disappeared. She couldn't be sure if she had hidden it or if she'd destroyed it herself in case something went wrong with the experiment. Not that its loss pained her very much. For four weeks after leaving the hospital she discovered she was pregnant and the joy on Richard's face when she'd shared her news eclipsed any doubts she had over making the transition from obsessive scientist to devoted wife and very soon to be, mother.

Nine months later, Olivia Eimear King was born. Hannah had named her after Richard's grandmother. He'd been touched but saddened at the same time.

"You don't have to do that. You don't have to impress them. If they can't love you for who you are it's their loss."

She'd smiled and rolled her eyes indulgently. He could be so oblivious sometimes. "I'm doing it for you, silly. I know how much she meant to you. You have her portrait on your wall in the study. You tell me stories about her all the time. Her name is Olivia, okay."

He grinned and kissed them both. "My girls."

**Present day**

Gleaning what little her father spilled at their weekly breakfast, Olivia learned the reason for Oliver's roguish behavior and abrupt disappearance. If she'd had energy, she would have used her spare time to track him down. But he'd sent an apology of sorts with a bunch of wildflowers. Cornflowers were her favorite. Of course she'd never told him the reason why. She wondered if he knew. She shook her head at the thought. She couldn't believe that after years of one-sided affection, she still hadn't completely buried her girlish crush.

Squinting against the bright morning sun, she dipped her head a little to keep from drawing attention to her pinched expression. Her headaches were becoming more frequent and debilitating, she'd had to give up practicing medicine. Her mother had assured her that they'd figure out how to treat her pain, make it manageable since all of the specialists they'd consulted weren't any help. Her Dad had tried to encourage her by saying it would be good for her to take time for herself, she'd been born a workaholic and was nose in a book practically from the time she could sit up on her own. She'd laughed, since there were pictures she could hardly argue his claim but she highly doubted she understood what she was looking at while still unable wipe drool from her face.

"Everything okay, honey?" her mother asked.

Olivia lifted her head and smiled. "I'm okay, Mom."

Hannah narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "It's that brain of yours again isn't it. You need to take it easy."

She heard her mother's loud sigh and felt her father pat her hand. "You want us to take this inside, sweetheart?"

Olivia bit her lip and shook her head. "No Dad, you and Mom enjoy the sun. I'm done anyway. I've got to get a start on my to-do list."

"You haven't forgotten to add the conference on Friday, it's a all weekend thing, remember?" her mother said.

Olivia slung her handbag over her shoulder and put her coat on her arm. She smiled as she bent to kiss her mother's cheek. "No Mom," she beamed. "I'll see you there. Love you both." She leaned over and kissed her dad before heading across the back patio and down the steps to the driveway.

**Delhi, India**

A strong hand clamp on his shoulder and Oliver stiffened ready to fight off his assailant before he heard a familiar voice.

"Took my comments literally didn't you."

Oliver dropped his duffel to his feet and faced his friend. Hal was dressed casually in khaki pants and a white button down shirt, he was smiling widely.

"Need a tour guide?" he said his eyebrow wagging.

Oliver grimaced and folded his arms across his chest. "I think I'll manage, thanks. Not that I don't like your impromptu appearances but what are you doing here?"

"I just came to share the good news," Hal said grinning madly, practically bouncing on his feet.

"So don't keep me in suspense," Oliver lamented with a groan. Hal looked like he'd downed a six-pack of Red Bull and a bunch of happy pills to boot. He'd just come off an 18 hour trip complete with a stop over in a very humid, loud and crowded terminal in Dubai, he was tired, cranky and desperately craved a nice hot shower and a comfy queen size bed to sleep on for a couple of hours. He was in no way equipped to deal with sun rivaling smiles and chipper best friends. Living in the lap of luxury had made him soft, he was used to chartered private jets and five star class from dining to accommodation. This bustling airport complete with bike powered buggies for transport and live cargo in the terminals were sights he hadn't anticipated.

Hal put his hands behind his back and rocked on his heels. "I'm getting married."

Oliver snapped his gaze back to his friend's face. "Come again?"

"Carol said yes."

Oliver ran a hand over his face and stared at Hal in disbelief. He didn't know anyone his age that was married. Well that he was close to anyway. Oh wait, Chloe had been married. Had being the operative word there. They were too young to be married. "I didn't know you were even seeing anyone exclusively."

Hal punched his shoulder. "Carol Farris, man. It's been an on again off again thing..."

"Then how, why?" Oliver asked frowning. "Are you sure?"

"We've known each other a long time. It took the lantern think for me to realize that time doesn't stand still for anyone and out there, sometimes there's what seems like endless nothing and while it's visually beautiful you're all alone out there. I want someone to come home to. I mean what about you and Dinah, I know you two had serious sparks."

Oliver slumps slightly. "Maybe too many fireworks. I've heard relationships take work but that much?"

Hal chuckles. "One of those, huh. She does look like a handful. Well at least she knew about the whole green leather thing."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "You haven't told Carol?"

Hal shrugged. "I haven't been doing this that long, and I don't know how she'll take it. She thinks I'm still with the Air Force, special division or something."

"Well I hope you don't plan on waiting till after you get married. She has a right to know what she's signing up for."

Hal wanted to argue that it was still the same deal as when they'd met but he knew it wasn't. If he died out in space there was no guarantee anyone would send word to her or that his body would ever be found. And he couldn't keep it all a secret forever, Oliver was right. If they ever hoped to have something great together, he needed to be honest. Even if it meant she would pull away.

"I've seen first hand what keeping secrets can do to a marriage."

Hal quirked an eyebrow at that but didn't ask him to elaborate. "Do you think maybe you're giving up on this thing with Dinah to soon?"

Oliver shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "I've done things I'm not proud of and I've disappointed a lot of people. Dinah being one of them. I don't think she sees me the same way anymore. She's not talking to me."

Hal frowned. "Everyone makes mistakes. I think you learn who will stand by you in the end. Those friendships are worth hanging on too."

Oliver nodded. "I want that but I can't unless I sort through some issues first. I need to clear my head."

Hal smiled. "I hear you. Took me awhile to figure things out myself. The universe is a good place for that. You know, wasn't there that girl you used to see in college. She was really cute if I remember. Gorgeous in that nerdy unassuming way. Stunning blue eyes and..." he felt Oliver's piercing glare and shrugged it off with a wolfish grin. He understood his blond friend a lot better than the man would ever admit. "Whatever happened to her?"

"Olivia," Oliver said through gritted teeth, he lowered his head staring at the floor and schooling his face into a mask of indifference before facing Hal again. "I wasn't every nice to her either." Oliver recalls how Olivia took care of him and the Green Arrow and he hadn't even had the courage to face her about it. He knew he was being a coward and taking the easy way out but it was better than having to see her disappointment in him too.

"A reoccurring trait I've noticed. You're only nice when you need something. Or when you're hoping to get laid..oh that's needing something, right?"

Oliver swung his fist at Hal's face. There's a small green flash and he drew back, shaking his hand from the impact. "No force-field," he hissed angrily.

Hal laughed. "Like I'm stupid. Listen I might not have been tactful about it but I'm calling it straight. You like her, treat her better or you just might miss out on a good thing."

Oliver sighed flexing his fingers. "Yeah, well I'm not gonna be around for awhile so could you do me a favor?"

Hal folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. "Depends on the favor."

"Just keep an eye on her for me okay. I haven't seen her in awhile but I just get this feeling that something's not right." Oliver picked up his duffel and slung it across his back.

"I'll try my best Ollie, but you know I have to switch out soon."

"I know, but when you're in town."

"Sure thing," Hal nodded.

They patted each other on the back and then parted ways. Hal watched his friend disappear into the crowd and wondered how long it would be before he saw him again.


	5. The Players In The Game

**Chapter 5  
**

**Three weeks ago  
Safehouse , Virginia  
**

"Starhawk used LX Dynamics technology to develop a more stable means of accessing memories but it's still not an exact science. And images can't replace tactile stimulus and intuition. If you want to figure how just who Lex Luthor is you'll need to go outside those doors. Confront some of the people in those files and whose faces are in those databanks. Maybe it'll help you find the answers you're looking for."

The man in the chair lifted his hand and clicked off the video screen with his remote. He set the small controller down with a black gloved hand and sat back in his chair.

"I don't know what annoys me more. The fact that I'm a genetic match right down to the flawed double helix thanks to that meteor shower in '89 or that I'm relying on other people to tell me who I am? And you'd best not address me with anymore psychological insights right now, doctor. I'm not in the mood. Just be grateful the most basic part of the imprinting process worked or you'd be dealing with a petulant infantile who'd just as easily shoot you right now as look at you." The doctor looked aghast and he merely smiled while waving steepling his fingers. "But I'm afraid you have greater concerns, you see I'm my father's son, and this is how we do business. It's time Lex Luthor rejoined the land of the living and I can't have rumors rife that I'm not myself now, can I?" In a single swift and decisive motion, he pulled out a silenced 9mm and directed it at the doctor before pulling the trigger.

Lex got out of the chair and stepped over the body on his way to the door. He passed a guard on the way out.

"Lock this place down. Then meet me at the helipad in ten minutes if you want to avoid the fireworks."

**Present day  
San Diego base**

The suited employee with too much gel in his hair hurried to the glass panel door. He tapped the glass and waited anxiously for the signal to enter. He was waved in and he touched the door release and waited, his knees trembling while the panel slid to the side. Hot footing into the office, he lowered the manila folder and pushed it across the desk.

"He's gone?"

Nodding vigorously, the nervous man gestured to the file. "Our source confirmed he boarded a flight to Dubai yesterday."

"And where has he been the last few days?"

"Settling accounts with the banks, getting quotes from housekeeping services and moving out of his apartment. Oh and seeing that lawyer, but you already know about him."

"Yes, the illustrious Mr King. I've heard Oliver dropped the charges of fraud against his accounts but they're still contesting the change of ownership. No matter, the damage is done. His corporate image is a publicist worst nightmare. If he even bothers trying to weasel his way back from that, it'll take a lot of money in the right hands and weeks of charming the social circles. Oliver doesn't have it in him, he still hasn't recovered from the news Tess delivered last year."

The man cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Was there anything else?" Lex raised an eyebrow at his would-be assistant. Many had filled those shoes before him and he had no doubt that many would succeed him too. He was green and far too wilt-under-pressure type for his taste. He'd need a replacement very soon.

**The Watchtower, the dark side of the moon  
**

J'onn stood in the holographic terminal. Only a telepath could operate the system. Jor-El had helped him complete its design on his last visit from Krypton before all the portals between the planets were destroyed. At present he was using it to monitor a certain person of interest that warranted supervision. He'd first seen her in a memory of Green Arrow's a.k.a Oliver Queen. In a rear moment of reflection, the young man had fallen into a melancholy state and before J'onn could ask what was bothering him, he'd projected his thoughts and emotions so heavily that J'onn had nearly groaned at the intensity. He saw a young woman, smiling vibrantly, her dark hair bouncing as she laughed. She had the prettiest blue eyes, like the bluest clearest ocean. He'd been captivated by them. Not just because water was a natural body unique to only this planet in their galaxy but because of the depth of intelligence that lay in behind that relaxed youthful face. She seemed so genuine and affectionate towards Oliver that J'onn was hard pressed to understand why Oliver was so anxious over her. He was wondering why she cared, why she continued to give him chances. It almost seemed like he was deliberately trying to push her away, when what he really wanted was the opposite. Youth, J'onn mused was often wasted on the young.

If he had his family again, even if it was only for a brief time, he would never waste it on doubt or what might have been. He'd treasure every fraction of time and he would make sure that there was never any doubt that they understood and felt his love for them.

Out of curiosity, he'd searched her out with his mind and what he'd found had only made her more intriguing. Her memories of childhood and now her young adulthood, how she interacted and viewed the world was so different to the minds he was used to hearing. Even Kal-El who was alien, like himself was more 'human' in nature. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he was brought up by human parents. His experiences would have been very different had he grown up on Krypton. He'd never experienced a more pure and keen mind in all his time on Earth.

When he'd felt her mind, he had wanted to meet her almost immediately. To foster her untapped potential. To explore whether she could develop her higher brain function. Her mind felt comfortable, familiar as thought it were like being bonded with another martian's mind. Where both could freely share thoughts and memories. It was a code among their people that they didn't use their telepathic abilities on each other without permission. Their race tended to have a natural defense against psychic probing as well. It would be almost impossible to read a martian's mind without them being aware of it and fighting back. The more he thought about it, he wondered if she was even aware of what might be possible for her to achieve if she tried.

After healing Kal-El, he'd accepted that his fate would be forever different to what he'd imagined. It was nice to have silence for awhile but after a few months, being restricted to one form and being unable access any other ability but flight, he'd become restless. He'd gotten careless and in the end had to leave his Det. John Jones persona behind. He'd secluded himself from the world in this outpost that once served as Jor-El's laboratory while he was away from Krypton. He missed his old friend. When life with the High Council became too overbearing Jor-El had often sought solitude in this place. The portal between here and Krypton had long since been severed but the one between the laboratory and Earth still existed. It was what had enabled him to leave. Being restricted to his human form meant that he wouldn't have been able to survive the trip through space using flight. The crystal cavern here was very different from Kal-El's fortress in the Arctic, while it had the same structure it was comprised of different material since the crystals drew minerals from their surrounds. While the Arctic wind blew and bathed the Fortress in snow and ice, the moon's base wasn't cold at all but a light dusting of fine powder over everything, including the crystal walls. He had busied himself with altering the security protocols to include the possibility of new biometric signatures so that one day this sanctuary might be used as meeting place for like minded individuals devoted to protecting Earth's inhabitants and preserving justice.

He created new logs, detailing his travels and interactions since his last visit and observed Earth from the hidden cameras placed on the light side of the moon. He stayed pondering what his next move would be. Whether he could create a new identity when he couldn't shapeshift anymore. Then all of a sudden, months into his isolation - he'd reverted to his natural state. He'd woken up that way after meditation. He'd be stunned and quietly rapturous that the suns flames had only temporarily suppressed his powers. He began to wonder if fire really was a physical or psychological weakness of their race. The chemical reaction didn't exist on Mars. Their scientists wouldn't have cause to explore it. Although it was definitely something he would investigate.

J'onn smiled as located Olivia and realized that she was in good hands. While the young man was certainly quick to act and slow to think at times, he was loyal, pure in heart and dependable. Despite his warning, Olivia had grown distracted of late, her thoughts so compounded that it was hard for him to reach her. He worried that she wasn't taking as much notice of her surrounding as she should.

When he had discovered her untapped potential he'd wanted to recruit her into their cause. But after he'd discovered her health problems he had withdrawn the idea and resigned to keeping watch least she attract the attention of another party. The harmful kind of interest.

Since he'd been able to adopt a different human form, he'd created a new background and acquired a government position working at the DDS. It wasn't long before he attracted the attention of those higher up and was recruit to a special division known only as Checkmate. While Project Starhawk had been scrubbed to cover up a major leak in the operation, not to mention the disappearance of their alien test subject, it was soon replaced by an even more elite operation under the direction of Amanda Waller. With what seemed like unlimited resources and special trained operatives, he grew concerned that soon the government wouldn't be satisfied in just monitoring the metahuman population but they'd start detaining or worse testing. Commissioned by the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs, Starhawk had watched the skies. Checkmate watched galaxy but their main focus was the seemingly growing threat of metahumans. Initially feeling more alien and outnumbered in hostile territory, he soon found allies in one Amazonian princess, Diana Prince, and one familiar friendly face, Dr. Emil Hamilton.

They met regularly, at the moon base to discuss strategy and the protection of those unaware they possessed unique DNA and those who had once been subjected to inhumane acts under the direction of either Lionel or Lex Luthor, and in more unfortunate circumstances both.

Their team had started out small but they continued to grow in number. First it was just the three of them, with Emil only providing a scientist's perspective, information and technological wizardry on occasion. Diana was a diplomat first and a warrior second. Her interest focus largely on woman in need, be it psychological or circumstantial. Her experience and prowess as an air force pilot and garnered her a position on the Checkmate roster as a transport officer. She was the drop and evac go-to girl. It also put her in a unique position of knowing the location of a mission before any of the other operatives.

Flash, who had previous gone by the code name of Impulse was the newest recruit to their little band of heroes. He brought an extensive experience and intel on Luthor's prior operations and his developing skills as a forensic analyst meant that he could often work along side Dr. Hamilton and ensure quicker results.

The terminal powered down as he took his hands from the control crystals. He stepped out of the terminal and walked across room to the portal to Earth. Lunch break was over. He'd have a few minutes to fly back to D.C. before his absence would raise suspicion.

**Forensics Convention, San Francisco **

Olivia hoisted her bag on her shoulder and clutched the folders tighter to her chest. Why her mother didn't invest in a big enough briefcase made her smile. While she was brilliant, her organization skills left a lot to be desired. At least she argued, her mother always found what she was searching for, eventually.

_Oomph. _Her breath flew from her body along with all the folders, but before she free-wheeled backward, she found herself righted with all her folders back in her arms. She had to squeeze them tighter to reassure herself that they were still there and not slipping from her grasp. She blinked. Strong but careful hands steadied her and she found herself staring into the most expressive pale green eyes she'd ever seen. They were positively sparkling with mischief.

"I'm usually more sure footed than that. I'm actually kicking myself right now. How I could have missed such a divine creature such as yourself is without a doubt a heinous crime deserving of the worst punishment you wish to sentence me with, senorita." He kissed her free hand in a sweeping gallant move and gushed further before she could interject. "I hope you allow me to at least buy you lunch, considering I almost trampled you to death."

Olivia blushed. She'd never meet anyone so forward before or as amorous and certainly not directed at her. A few of her friends most definitely but nerdy, nose in a book, plain Jane like herself, this was a first and completely unnerving. She extracted her hand with a nervous smile. "It was my fault. This place is far too crowded not to be completely aware of your feet at all times. No apology or penance necessary."

She tucked her behind her ear and Bart felt his heart skitter in his chest. It was such a cute gesture and exposed the beauty spot on her left cheek. As her skin blushed, the pink crept across her cheeks to that little mole and his fingers practically itched to follow that trail. He grinned and her eyes widened and he didn't think it was possible but her blush deepened in color.

Olivia thought she was going to melt into the floor. If his eyes were unsettling, his grin should be banned. It was so bright and energetic she thought it had to be infectious because she could feel her own lips curving up. He shouldn't be allowed to be in the presence of women without a chaperon, he put Oliver's charming antics to shame. But then she couldn't be certain since she'd never experienced Oliver's playboy charm or art of seduction herself.

Bart pouted a little and put his hand over his heart. "I've sat through three hours of chronological evolution of DNA analysis, please give me one ray of light to make it through the rest of the day. Or they just might have a body to put all their cutting edge gizmos to work on right here."

Olivia laughed, her cheeks dimpling. She squeezed his hand and shot him a glare for his theatrics. "Okay, but just to save you making a complete fool of yourself. Are you sure you're old enough to be here?" she teased.

Bart frowned. "You wound me deeply, fair one. But I'll suffer your cruelest words if I must to enjoy your company." He looped her hand through his arm and pulled her toward the exit.

The sat a few minutes later on one of the benches outside the main auditorium. It was a small courtyard with silver birch trees and a water fountain. The bay stretched out behind them and you could see the city's iconic bridge in the distance.

She inclined her head and studied his profile as she set her bag down and put the files in her lap. Then it clicked. Where she'd seen him before. His reddish brown hair gleamed in the sunshine and as she looked down she noticed something that confirmed her thoughts. A bulky sports watch that looked like it could house all of James Bonds gadgets neatly. Maybe he was one of those secret spy types. She certainly had not suspected Oliver of prolific vigilantism before she'd met the Green Arrow. "I knew you looked familiar, you're a friend of Oliver's."

Bart whipped his head to hers. "What?" his voice lost all of its playfulness and became accusingly suspicious.

Olivia stiffened and pursed her lips taking a steadying breath at the sudden change in his demeanor. "I've seen you before at one of Oliver's, well not so much his anymore but Queen Industries buildings. You weren't dressed like an employee so I assumed you were a friend. He was joking around with you. Did I say something wrong?"

Bart relaxed. "Maybe we should dial this back and start with the traditional introductions." He extended his hand and smiled. "I'm Bart Allen, forensics student, one time acquaintance of Oliver Queen and according to most an all around goof ball."

Olivia let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and felt her shoulders relax. She smiled and took his hand, shaking it heartily. "Olivia King, currently on forced leave, childhood friend of Oliver Queen and according to most, a complete bore."

Bart squeezed her hand once more before winking at her. "I doubt that."

Olivia dipped her head and withdrew her hand, wringing them together over her stack of folders.

"So about lunch, any dietary stipulations I should know about or are you up for anything?"

Olivia jerked her head up. Just what had she agreed to here? "Ah, nothing too spicy and vegetarian, if possible." In her head she could see her mother's face twisted in a grimace. Olivia assured herself that fate couldn't be that unkind to her, after all what could this beaming, charming, young man that was like a barely controlled bundle of raw energy possibly give her that might irrevocably damage her brain chemistry? At least she could hope her faith wasn't about to be dashed. "And nothing sugary or caffeinated, please." She sighed and scowled at her words. "I do sound like a complete bore and kill joy."

Bart beamed. "I have a friend who would have a coronary on the spot hearing you deny caffeine so adamantly, but I can't drink it either so we're good. Don't move a muscle, I'll be right back."

Olivia sat back in the wooden bench and watched him jog out of the courtyard. When he disappeared around the building, she turned to look about the place. There were a few people lounging outside enjoying the short intermission. Her mother had asked her to take this files back to the car. She needed a different trolley load of material for her afternoon presentation. Olivia was only too happy to help. She was here on a strictly casual venture. She had only signed on to attend her mother's lectures and considering she knew her mother's research backward she was planning on spending the afternoon inspecting the exhibition wing, where all the major companies were displaying their merchandise.

There was a gust of wind and her hair flew back from her face, she turned to see Bart dropping down beside her. He thrust a foil wrapped creation in her direction while beaming from ear to ear.

"Wow, you weren't gone very long," she mused. "I hope this isn't from the corner cafe because I know what there salad is like."

Bart shook his head. "If you aren't completely blown away after the first bite, I'll eat my shoes. At trust me I wouldn't make that bet unless I'm sure I won't lose. These babies have special compound rubber soles, it'd be very very chewy."

Olivia smirked and cautiously unwrapped her package. It was squishy and very round. So either heavily sauced salad roll or a wrap of some kind. She found a wheat tortilla skin inside and tentatively took a small bite. She glanced over at Bart as he practically devoured his burrito with relish. His cheeks full and his bite taking in almost half the wrap.

As the tastes hit her tongue, she found herself pleasantly surprised. The burrito was spicy by not hot, nicely offset by the juicy tangy mango salsa, rice and red beans. It was truly delicious. She ate eagerly after that, and was too engross in enjoying this experience to notice that she was being watched. She took her last mouthful and crumpled the foil, turning her head to find a pair of avid green eyes staring at her. She swallowed in one gulp, the large chuck barely traveling down her throat uncomfortably while she fought to find her voice.

"Great huh?" he prompted happily.

Olivia nodded her cheeks heating. She felt tears in her eyes as the lump refused the continue its journey to her stomach. She pounded her chest with her fist. Her eyes still smarting.

"Here." Bart thrust a bottle of water at her and Olivia took it eagerly, uncapped it and guzzled the water down.

Gasping, she set it down again and screwed on the cap. "How can you eat that fast?"

Bart shrugged. "Bad habit, started at birth nobody ever got me to quit." He grinned. "So I'm dying to know, are my shoes safe?"

Olivia smiled and wiped the corners of her eyes. "They're safe. That was fabulous. Best mango salsa I've ever tasted. My mom isn't very adventurous when it comes to food. The most diverse experiences I've had were during college, my roommates liked to restaurant hop. Comes from living on a meager budget I guess. There were some really interesting culinary discoveries and some dreadful ones I don't like to think about least I get the phantom taste of them." She shivered.

"Are you here for the whole convention?"

Olivia nodded. "I should say unfortunately but it's been fun. Not an area I'm usually immersed in so different is good. I've always been open to trying new things. Life should be an endless journey of discovery."

Bart smiled. She sounded like his kind of lady. He was always hungry for new experience, whether it be a place, gastronomical or just a physical or mental challenge. The world moved so slowly for him that he was always hungry for some avenue to pour his energy into. "What do you usually do?"

"I was a pediatrician."

"Kid doctor? Cool," Bart said nodding. "You were?" She was far too young to be retired and she didn't seem like the type to have had a change of heart.

Olivia interlaced her fingers, and studied the loose thread on her skirt. She gave a small shrug. "It'd be unethical for me to practice at the moment. Physical impermanent," she finished softly.

Bart squeezed her shoulder lightly. "You look perfectly fit to me."

Olivia lifted her eyes to meet his, he looked sincere and his gesture was really sweet but it wouldn't change how she felt about it or the truth of the matter. "Thanks, but sometimes appearances can be deceiving. What about you? How deep into this lab work are you?"

Bart prepared to answer her when he caught sight of the time. "Oh man, I can't believe I'm gonna be late." He wasn't late to anything. He'd bumped into this woman and already she seemed to have turned his orderly life into chaos. Bart Allen was the fastest man on the planet, he could paint a house in the blink of an eye and here he was late to the lecture of one of foremost experts on the preservation and forensic application of genetics. At least she wouldn't notice him coming in. "I'm sorry, I have to run but I would really like to see you again."

Olivia shook his hand. "I'm sure we'll bump into each other. We've got three more days of this."

Bart smiled. "So lunch tomorrow?"

Olivia returned his smile. "I'll be here," she affirmed with a nod. Turning, she picked up the folders and her bag but when she straightened she discovered he was no where in sight. Odd, she thought. He can't have run into the building that fast. But scanning the quad she half expected him to appear from behind some tree on his way to the main entrance but after a few minutes of standing around waiting, she felt nothing but the gentle breeze. Putting the bag over her shoulder, she fished out her keys and headed for the car park. Attending the conference had been a really good idea. Not only had she felt her mother's passion for her work, but she'd made a new friend.


	6. Taken

**Chapter 6**

Six weeks later  
A homeless shelter, Star City

Olivia dished out another bowl and smiled as she passed it over the elderly lady warming her hands through fingerless gloves. "Here you are, Mrs Timms."

"I hope it isn't canned soup, I had cream corn last week. It was weak and still had the gurgles after."

Olivia resisted allowing herself to sigh. Mrs Timms suffered from dementia. She attended a few of the welfare shelters around the city and had obviously confused this one with another of the volunteer kitchens. Upon finishing college and getting in internship at Star City General, she had moved back home for awhile and had been volunteering at this shelter since and the cook, Ola, would faint if she'd heard this comment about her cooking. Ola slaved away in the kitchen every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon making 24 quarts of soup from scratch for the homeless and those struggling to make ends meet.

"This a very hearty minestrone, and I can promise you that it isn't from a can. If you're still hungry after, I'll give you an extra roll to take away. How does that sound?"

The woman cracked a toothy smile revealing several chipped and blackened teeth. Olivia smiled back, it was the first time she'd ever seen the woman smile. She usually seemed to have a grumpy, bustling disposition. Olivia felt relieved that she had broken through that rough exterior if only for a moment.

The line moved a long and she dipped the ladle in the pot again and picked up a fresh bowl.

An odd mixture of scents hit her nose and she crinkled it in surprise. It was a strange perfume to be mingled with tomato, herbs, beans and pasta. Flowers, she registered mildly. There were flowers in her face. The colors were so close to her face that it look a second for them to come into focus. Slightly dewy, fresh, large assortment of wildflowers. She blinked in surprise. Marigolds, poppies, lupines and wild borage. Certainly not all native to California. She lifted her head and caught a familiar pair of eyes watching her with barely contained excitement. He seemed very pleased with himself.

"Bart," she whispered through thinned lips. She appealed to him with her eyes and inclined her head slightly. "Can you come around back? I'll see you in few minutes."

He nodded and relaxed the arm bearing the posie to his side. She didn't miss the pout as he sauntered away. She watch his back as he headed to the exit and chewed her lower lip.

"Way to take the sunshine out of my day," the young girl dressed in an oversize rainbow-colored sweater and faded black leggings said bitterly. "Do you think you're too good for him?"

Olivia frowned. She hadn't intended for it to appear that way. She'd simply not wanted to draw attention to them. When was the last time any of one had given them flowers? She hadn't wanted them to feel discouraged. In the end, she'd just made herself appear more haughty. She sighed. "He's very sweet and it was a lovely gesture. Maybe we could share them," she offered hopefully.

The girl folded one arm across her chest and grudgingly took the soup bowl with one hand. "Why? They'll just wither anyway."

It was an uphill battle at the welfare kitchen today. While she was certainly not without means, Olivia had always been proud to pay her own way and she made a point never to flaunt her wealth. Her parent her put her through college in an Ivy League school but she'd stopped them short at footing the expense of anything else. She got a part time job just like all her friends and paid for her own clothes, gas and food. Much to her mother's alarm, she'd preferred the rough it with her college mates, than live on college cafeteria food and experiment with the local cuisine. She wanted her parents to understand that while she appreciated their generosity and understood their instincts to provide for their only daughter, she argued that if she was going to learn the value of money and life's responsibilities that she have earn her own money.

Now that she wasn't working anymore, her father had taken it upon himself to plump out her bank account. As of last month, she was officially like every other heiress in the southern hemisphere, all she needed was the armored Mercedes and toy poodle and she'd be set. On his flakier days, she could imagine her dad pulling that one on her. While he was the smartest guy she knew, her dad was still a father and most of the dads she knew all spoiled their little girls to the point of corruption. Part of the reason she volunteered was to remind herself that life wasn't easy for the majority of people and there was a struggle just to make it through the day for 1/3 of the city. In the past two years that proportion had grown due to the economic state of the world. If she could help these people, just by listening or giving them a meal, it seemed to bring her a moments peace. Their hardship brought hers into perspective, it gave her reason to remember that despite her condition, she was blessed.

Olivia finished serving and took the empty pots back to the kitchen. The dining hall was full and everyone was eating heartily. She found Bart lounging against the wall by the back door. He still held the flowers in his hand. Olivia kissed his cheek and smiled apologetically. "They are breathtaking. You really shouldn't have. Wild flowers not in season are harder to find than purple roses. You shouldn't have bought me flowers."

Bart wanted to tell her that he hadn't and that these flowers were in season in the south of France but he couldn't argue either without telling her his secret. They'd been hanging out together for awhile now but he hadn't told her anything specific about himself. He told her he lived on the fringe of Star City while he worked at the San Francisco P.D. forensics lab. It was half true. He lived in Central City only a few states over with his Grams and worked in San Fran with Emil. He'd finished his training at the local college and only took casual shifts at the city P.D. "Friends can buy friends stuff," he said with a shrug. "Can't they?"

Olivia squeezed his arm, her gaze darting to the dining hall. She turned back to him, her eyes sparkling. "Can you do me a favor?"

Suddenly perking up, he nodded. Olivia never asked him to do anything. Considering the flower surprise hadn't gone over as he would have liked, he was happy to do whatever she asked. It troubled him how quickly he'd fallen so hard. Sure he flirted with every pretty female he met but Olivia was different. She was considerate, patient, intelligent and most of all beautiful without even realizing she was. It astounded him how plain she thought she was. And he knew it wasn't an act to garner attention, she genuinely thought she was average. He wondered just what kind of company she kept that had ensured she had such a low self image. He'd gathered that she'd had only a handful of boyfriends, none of them serious and all a little self absorbed. He wondered if that was a defense mechanism. If she'd dated those guys because she knew nothing would come of it. He wanted them to be more than friends. And unlike most women who either scoffed or giggled at his attempts at charm, she remained calmly courteous. She was a challenge for him and that was his staying point. He never could back down from a challenge.

"What is your request, gorgeous?"

Olivia chewed her bottom lip and frowned at him. She didn't like these affectionate pet names he insisted on using. "I was wondering if you could pick up a poppy pin from the vendor down the street. They're silk flowers. I want to give one to Selene."

Bart smiled with a slow nod. He'd heard what the young woman had said to Olivia and he knew what she was trying to do for her. "How bout I give it to her. I'll say it's from you of course."

Olivia smiled. "And it will be. Here." She pressed a five bill into his hand.

Bart shook his head and pushed it back into hers. "This is on me."

She watched the exchange take place from the servery and resisted the impulse to duck out of sight when Selene looked in her direction.

As they closed up for the night, the young woman waited outside for them to exit.

"I'm sorry about before, it's none of my business really. You didn't have to get me this," she finished gruffly gesturing to where the poppy now adored her top.

Olivia touched her hand and patted it lightly. When the younger woman lifted her head and met her gaze, she spoke to her with tears pooling in her eyes. "When I look at you, I want to remember that life may be fleeting but moments of happiness need to be treasured and shared. While I think his extravagance is completely wasted on me, I'm glad I was able to share it with you. I haven't gotten a chance to speak to you before but I know someone at a recruitment agency if you're interested in looking for a job."

Selene gave her a skeptical look. "Who'd hire me? I don't have any other clothes, just this and I know smell like I need a bath, cause I do."

Olivia smiled. "What size are you?"

"4, at least I think so, been a long time since I've seen a label," Selene answered her eyes narrowing. "I don't want to be your charity case."

"This is all I have," Olivia managed, her voice breaking. A tear slipped down her cheek. Since she couldn't work anymore, she'd devoted all her time to volunteering. Everything from washing and repairing clothes from the welfare bins to candy striping at the hospital.

Selene's eyes widened and narrowed. "Why?"

Olivia dug around in her bag and pulled out one of her business cards. Crossing out the details on the front, she scribbled a name on the back and a number. "Meet me here tomorrow morning. I'll bring you a bag of things to look through. You can keep what you like and then we'll give Joanne a call. If you don't come, I'll understand."

Selene took the card and gave her one last skeptical look before stalking off into the night, her arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

"Do you think she'll come," Olivia asked quietly without looking in his direction.

Bart put a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know. I was in her position once, feeling alone and frustrated about everything. I remember someone giving me something to work for. Confidence in yourself, having a sense of achievement, that's something you can't buy but everyone should have. Someone took a chance on me, it almost didn't take. I'm glad I chose to believe though. I wouldn't have meet you otherwise."

Olivia turned to him and smiled through her tears. Bart pulled her into a hug and she sniffed into his shoulder. It was so nice to have someone around who didn't have any expectations from her. At least not for her money or for her intelligence. She did feel guilty about not distancing herself from him when it was obvious he really liked her. She was half beginning to think that maybe she was beginning to see him as possible boyfriend material after all. He was certainly a better prospect that all her previous boyfriends combined but then there was a reason for that. They'd been using her as much as she'd been using them. She'd accepted their advances to deter people from thinking she wasn't interested in men. In turn they'd gotten the attention her status afforded, expensive gifts and socialite girlfriends. Nobody lost. Except maybe the girls they'd ended up with when they realized these men were just as shallow and self absorbed as they were.

"Can I walk you home?" Bart still held the wildflowers in his hand and resigned to the fact that maybe he wouldn't win her over with exotic gifts. After all, she was loaded, she could buy anything she wanted if she were that kind of girl. Obviously he was going to have to rethink his game plan.

Olivia looped her arm through his and nodded. "I'd like that."

Bart baide her goodnight at her door and she'd accepted the flowers with the dimpled smile he'd come to crave more than Mexican food. She was so pretty, like an angel, all softness and gentleness. Sometimes he could see flecks of gold in her pale blue-gray eyes. It made them all the more alluring. He could easily get lost in them. He leaned in slowly and sighed when she turned slightly so his lips brushed her cheek. If he'd used superspeed he would have caught those full pink lips but would have also freaked her out, considering she hadn't wanted to kiss him back.

"Good night, Bart," she enveloped him with a quick hug before stepped away from him opened her door and disappeared inside. Closing it with a quiet click. His shoulders slumped and he trudged down two steps before blurring out of her building.

Olivia dropped her bag and keys on the kitchen counter and unwrapped the flowers. She reached for the handle of the overhead cupboard and caught a reflection in the glass. Her brain screamed at her to move, to grab a knife or to run for the bedroom where she kept her trusty hockey stick but she couldn't move. She stood paralyzed with fear as the figure dressed in black stalked her from the shadows.

He lunged at her and as she felt the air move behind her, somehow her body seemed to obey her brains commands. She dove to the floor past him and crawled under the table. The man flung it out of the way like it was made of foam. She scrambled to her feet and slammed her bedroom door shut. She put her weight against it as she fumbled with the handle, screwing it off and removing the turning pin. Satisfied it would keep him out for a minute, she pushed the dresser in front of the door and jumped across the bed to grab the cordless phone. She tried to call 911 but there was no dial tone. The line was dead.

The pounding outside her door stopped and Olivia felt a cold sweat break out over her skin. Her bag was in the other room. Her cell phone was in that bag. If she was going live through this she had to get out of the apartment. Her gaze flew to the window and she saw a large shadow crouch down and stare at her through the glass. Her heart skipped a beat in her chest and she scrambled off the bed. So much for the fire escape plan.

The bulking black-clothed figure put an elbow through the glass and felt for the latch. Olivia didn't waste a second. She launched across the room and pushed back against one side of the dresser, freeing the door. She slipped the pin back in the slot and turned, opening the door. Stumbling out of the doorway while watching the man climb into her bedroom, she ran straight into a wall. A lumpy but solid immovable man-made wall.

She looked up with wide eyes at the towering man. Before she could struggle free, a sharp sting in her arm made her lose consciousness.

"She's out," the tall man said into his comm.

"Bring her in," the voice on the other end responded.

**  
San Diego**

Lex interlaced his fingers behind his back as he entered the lab. She was covered only by a thin sheet and he knew that underneath she was naked. The pictures his men had taken really didn't do her justice. She was truly beautiful. Rich, wavy chocolate brown hair. Creamy, smooth, milky white skin. Delicate eyebrows perfectly framing large tear shaped eyes. Her dark lashes brushed the top of her cheekbones and she had the softest, most lush looking naturally rose-tinged full lips. He could see why Bart was so enamored with her that he'd finally settled long enough to be found. It would be easy to lose yourself starting at that heart shaped face. He wondered what color those eyes were behind those pale eyelids.

But he wouldn't allow himself that from here. She couldn't be allowed to see him, he wasn't ready to reveal himself to the world yet. There were still wheels in motion that hadn't reached their desired stop. Olivia was too visible a personality for her absence to go unnoticed. He'd expect that by morning her father would call a full scale search and reward for her safe return. And she would, not without a few holes in her memory, but first she would tell all she knew about Bart Allen and she would be his Achilles Heel. He wanted the Green Arrow and his band of terrorists gone. Dead and gone.

Lex knew the Green Arrow was responsible for his death. The security footage relayed from the truck before the explosion revealed as much.

He'd punished Tess for the merger with Queen Industries by destroy their stock. She had been forced to buy back the Luthorcorp shares almost crippling the company, but it was better than letting it sink along with an already flagging ship. He'd managed both moves, while embarrassing and ruining Oliver in the process. His school mate deserved that much for all the bad memories he had of their younger years as well for trying to take his company. Everyman was lying in a ditch somewhere, he had outlived his usefulness. He might have let the man live if he hadn't continued the charade while partying carelessly in the Cayman Islands. The extent of Lex's mastery would go untold. The freak had served his purpose. He wondered if the man was ever discovered if someone would wonder why he looked so much like a certain ex-billionaire.

Olivia King was just a tool to get what he really wanted. If she co-operated, she wouldn't even remember this night.

**The next day  
Olivia's apartment**

Richard had called his daughter when she didn't appear for their family breakfast. He'd tried her apartment and her cell phone with no answer. He'd feared the worst and drove straight over before discovering that he hadn't feared the worst at all. His nightmare was just beginning. His heart aching in his chest, he called his friend at the police station to report his daughter's abduction.

Fifteen minutes later, the apartment was crawling with detectives, squad men and a forensics team. He'd called her friends to find out if any of them had seen her, when Ola mentioned that she'd left the kitchen with Bart.

Bart appeared as soon as he got the call from Richard. And the other man startled a bit when the younger man appeared at his side.

"You, you were fast."

"I was already on my way here. I wanted to catch her before she left this morning," he filled in quickly with no trace of nervousness. He saw the police already doing their thing and knew by the time they were done the scene would be botched beyond help. He only hoped that he could speed through it before Richard noticed he'd moved.

It took Bart less than a non-second to find the dart under the armchair. He'd take it to Emil for analysis. Then he'd call Diana and find out if Olivia's place and come up on Checkmate's mission roster.

"I want your lab to run everything these guys find."

Bart arched an eyebrow at that.

"Olivia tells me you're brilliant."

Bart blushed and scratched the back of his neck. "Ah, I don't know about brilliant..."

Richard set his jaw and grabbed Bart's upper arm. "This is no time for modesty. Help me get my daughter back."

"Yes, sir," Bart assured him firmly. "Listen, I have to head out but I'll call you as soon as I have something."

Richard reluctantly let him go and Bart felt his chest tighten as he studied Olivia's father's defeated profile. He looked older than he was, tired. He could imagine the helplessness he felt right now, losing someone like Olivia. Bart shook off his dark thoughts. They wouldn't help. He needed to focus. The dart would give them a lead.

Before he went to the lab though, there was something else he needed to do first. There was a young girl who was probably waiting for Olivia to show. It would only take five minutes of his time and it would ensure this girl didn't give up hope. This was something he could do for Olivia right now. Something she would have wanted. He dug around in his pocket for his wallet. Which way was the fashion district again?

**San Diego  
**  
Lex stood in front of the two-way mirror. He couldn't believe his good fortune. When Moira Sullivan had escaped his clutches, he'd cursed the day that Chloe Sullivan had been born. This was his ticket to the power he wanted. Like Moira, Olivia's brain activity was off the charts. He couldn't wait to test her but he'd need leverage. From the moment she'd regained consciousness, she'd been a handful. Not in the obvious mouthy way, but she was worse, quiet and duplicitous. She'd managed to attempt an escape twice already, once she'd almost managed to access an outside line to call for help. The technician and come around just in time to jab her with a sedative and hang up the phone.

He knew from the determined set of her jaw and the cool stare she fixed at the mirror that she wouldn't cooperate willingly. So he'd sent for Reuben to set about persuading her. He was a powerful meteor infected telepath. He could navigate her brain and force out the memories they needed. With the LX Dynamics technology they would be able to see every thought that Reuben pulled up.

They would start the interrogation now.

Olivia knew what they were up too. She could tell by the type of equipment they were wheeling in and setting up around her. The two electrodes the stuck into her head only confirmed her fears. They wanted information but for the life of her she couldn't figure out what. Then it struck her. They were after the Green Arrow. Their kind of operation was just the type that his group went after. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. She wouldn't give them Oliver. She cursed the day he'd been so careless as to come close enough for her to discover his dual identity.

A man with a cold detached look on his face put his clammy hands on either side of her face. She wanted to wrench free but she knew fighting would only make them treat her more roughly. She'd pushed her luck already trying to escape and getting caught. But once her usefulness had expired, she was sure they wouldn't hesitate putting her out for good.

"How about we start with something easy. Let's see what you're most afraid of, shall we?"

The sinister edge in his voice and the way his brown almost black eyes bored into hers made her tremble against the narrow unyielding examination table.

A white hot pain tore through her skull and she closed her eyes against a wave of agony. Memories flashed in her minds eye and she cried silent tears as she saw Oliver looming behind her as she cradled that young boy in her arms. Then her thoughts jumped to standing in Oliver's bathroom and pulling down on the arrow in the family crest.

No, she screamed in her head. She wouldn't let this go any further. She tried to shut down the memory but the image kept coming, the mirror was moving up. Instead she forced herself to think of something else. She pictured her mother in her lab, she read the pages of notes that covered the desk. If she could engage her consciousness, hopefully she could keep him from poking around her head. Her mother's research would take days to go through page by page. And she had years worth of memories of them.  
**  
In the viewing room**

Lex pounded the glass almost cracking it. In the murky memory projected on the screen he'd seen the Green Arrow, he was sure of it. So she didn't just know Bart Allen, she knew the Green Arrow. He'd drug her within an inch of her life or more to get what he wanted out of her. The memory was hazy like looking through the bottom of an empty glass. "Can't you clean that up?" he barked at the techician sitting in front of the computer behind him.

"This is all she's given use to work with. The memories are clearer the longer the subject dwells on them. She switched as soon it came up. We can't even get anything from this. It's a green blob for all we know."

Lex kicked his chair till it spun 180 degrees. "Back it up a few frames and you'll see him clear as day. I did. Clean it up and transfer it to a stick, I'll study it myself."

**In the lab**

The man's hands left her skin but Olivia kept up her inner regimen of mundane information. If she broke just for a second he might get through again.

"She's resisting. She's filling her head with science babble."

"Give her the drugs," a voice ordered over the intercom.

"Are you sure? I thought you wanted to test her ability without..." Her interrogator was cut short.

"Increasing the meteorite saturation only enhanced their abilities," the voice over the intercom argued.

"But she's not meteor infected," she heard another voice argue.

For awhile everything was quiet before a door opened and an unexpected face entered her view. One that caused her to draw a sharp intake of breath.

"Lex. But you're..."

"Dead?" He smiled. "Rumors of my death are highly exaggerated. If you had someone plotting to kill you and others vying to destroy your company under your nose wouldn't you fake your own death and hide away to take on your enemies from the shadows?"

Olivia kept her mouth shut even though she felt like pleading for him to let her free. He was obviously crazed. How could he be sane, tortured people like this without conscience? Then her mind went back to that article she'd read a couple years ago. The one from J'onn. Project 33.1. The laboratories that housed people, human test subjects. It all clicked into place. Lex was behind it all and Oliver was destroying them. They were night and day. The sinner vs the savior. Now she was caught in the middle of it all. Was this what J'onn had been trying to warn her about?

"I can't help you. What is it that you think I can do for you?" she asked quietly, her eyes smarting from the pain.

Lex brushed her cheek and she shivered involuntarily. "So delicate. It'll be a shame to taint something so exquisitely beautiful. Tell me where he is Olivia and I'll let you go."

"Who?" she asked doing her best to keep her voice neutral, cooperative.

Lex scowled and fisted his hand in her hair, yanking her head up from the table. "Don't play with me. I'm not a simpleton that you can manipulate with your wide-eyed innocence and righteous words."

His gaze fixed on her mouth and before she had a chance to fathom what was coming, he'd claimed her lips in a brutal kiss. His teeth cut her bottom lip and he sucked and abused her mouth leaving her lips swollen and bloody. "You taste as delicious as you look," he said as leaned away from her. Blood stained his bottom lip and his tongue swept across it, licking it clean.

Olivia's stomach turned over and she fused her eyes shut taking in calming breaths to keep from dry retching. When had he become so heartless? How had he lost his soul? She'd seen him a few times when he was much younger in Metropolis at parties and corporate events her family attended. He'd been a bit of player just like most of the younger men in their social pool but he'd never been this callous or aggressive.

"I want everything she knows about Green Arrow and his team. You're free to use whatever method you see fit."

There was a loud click as the magnetic lock engaged in the door behind them but Olivia still didn't dare open her eyes. Those damp, cold hands were back and he had leaned by her ear. She felt his warm but sour smelling breath and she wrinkled her nose.

"It's just you and me now, sweetheart."

**Three days later**

Lex stood outside the viewing window stiff and angry. They'd pumped her with more meteorite solution that any of their other subjects had ever tolerated without expiring. They'd tried half a dozen hallucinogens and psychotic drugs and still they couldn't get past the mazes she put up to block their probing.

He'd learned about her college life, more DNA and archaic splicing practices than he ever cared to know and he felt he could probably pass an interns medial exam himself with what she'd given them over the past few days.

"You've tried wearing her down mentally. What about physically?" he snapped at the Reuben who stood silently behind him.

"We've kept her hydrated intravenously but she hasn't eaten anything. She hasn't broken her mantra for a second. Without sleep or some sustenance she won't hold out longer before she'll be weak enough for suggestion to work," the doctor overseeing their subject interjected.

"Maybe I've been going about this the wrong way," Lex said with a slow smile. "We know that she's been in regular contact with Allen. It looks like they might have even had a thing. We dangle the carrot and let them come to us. Worked once before."

"You think he'll be reckless enough to try to rescue her?" Reuben asked skeptically.

"I want you to rough her up a little, then we'll send the recording to the police. It's about time we made some demands."  
**  
Star City Police Department**

Bart had insisted that he accompany Richard to the meeting with the detectives working Olivia's case. While he had traced the dart to LX Dynamics the company had been de-registered for awhile. Not long after Lionel had died. All it's holdings and projects being diverted to other Luthorcorp divisions. And hacking to the Luthorcorp mainframe hadn't garnered any information on who the dart might belong to. Checkmate hadn't been involved in her abduction but now all for of them were working on finding Olivia. J'onn was searching her out telepathically, Emil was keeping his feelers out with his contacts and Diana was keeping an eye on all the happenings at Checkmate HQ just in case Waller was running something under the radar. But so far no one had anything. Whatever Richard had been called in for was going to be their next clue.

Nothing could have prepared either of them to see what the detectives had.

"You saw the Green Arrow in the street, did you follow him?" the dark haired man with his head bent prompted. "What do the crests mean?"

Olivia flinched as the gleaming knife trailed lightly across her arm drawing blood but not deep enough to cut any veins or arteries. She didn't open her eyes and she didn't acknowledge her attacker, so he moved around the table to her other arm.

He kept his head down and never turned in the direction of the camera. Bart watched Olivia's lips moving, she was ignoring him. If he was reading right, it looked like she was reciting elements, "Ir is for Iridium, Pt is for Platinum, Au is for Gold..."

The knife poised against the other arm, the man started again. "He wears a hood to obscure his features, dark wrap around sunglasses to hide his eyes, uses a compound bow and has a penchant for green leather. Who is he Olivia? Or maybe you want me to start with something a little easier. What about your other friend, the one who likes red..."

Bart swallowed he knew where this was going, he had thought with Lex gone that no one would remember Impulse or Bart Allen from the Ridge Point facility. Obviously he'd been wrong. He had to get that disk. Before the man on the recording could continue his sentence, Bart had switched the disk with a blank one and short circuited the portable player to make it appear that the machine had destroyed the recording.

"What the!" one of the detectives cried. The player sparked and smoked on the table in front of them as Bart fringed shock and disbelief along with everyone else in the room.

As they left the station Richard threw up his hands and wailed, "I don't understand. Why would he send a recording that didn't make any demands? Is he just taunting me? And Olivia doesn't know anything about that Green Arrow. She's a doctor not a vigilante. How would she know him? It doesn't make any sense."

Bart touched the old man's shoulder. "Let me talk to them. I'll see if I can get them to give me the disk. It might be salvageable. I have a friend who can work digital wonders."

Richard ran a weary hand over his face. "Please," his voice broke and tears spilled down his face. "Save my baby girl."

Bart couldn't stand to witness her father's anguish. Just seeing what that savage was doing to Olivia for his crimes made him physically sick. It took him less than a minute to reach S.T.A.R labs in San Francisco. Emil found him in his office using his computer.

"Hello to you too," Emil said with a quirk to his lips before he caught Bart's grim expression. "Is that Olivia?"

Bart nodded and continued to play the recording.

The man thrust a piece of paper in her face and slapped her until she opened her eyes. Bart assumed it had to be a photograph of him. "Where does he live? Does he meet you every day? Who else is part of Green Arrow's team?"

When he'd watched the recording at the station, he hadn't noticed it but now that he'd played it over again, he saw that Olivia was moving her left hand slightly. The movements repeated every now and again. "Is that... I don't know any sign language but is she spelling something?" Bart pointed to the screen.

Emil peered in closer and spelled out the letters. "L. E. X. D. O. N. T. T. R. A. P."

"Lex and trap go hand in hand," Bart said angrily. "Thought it was too good to be true. How is he alive?"

"Not a question we really need to worry about right now. He's holding an innocent girl hostage and he's slicing her up to get to Oliver and the old team. She hasn't cracked yet but she shouldn't have to hold out against torture. You're lucky she's strong. And that she obviously cares for you both."

"She's signing again..." Bart said quietly.


	7. Discoveries

**Chapter Seven**

**Olivia's Apartment**

Hal had been gone for a month this time. He had tried to swap out with his counterpart so he could spend more time with Carol and keep him promise to Oliver but John had committed to helping villages rebuild from the tsunami in the Pacific. The devastating wave had flattened buildings and wiped out vegetation on countless islands. The relief effort would take months and although there were teams of aid organizations lending a hand, they could use all the extra help they could get. Besides, there was also Lobo's hearing on Oa that he couldn't delegate. He was still getting used to this intergalactic travel gig and depending on how much juice his ring had, the transit times varied. Hal hadn't thought he'd be away for this long. He'd promised Oliver he'd check in on Olivia, he would keep his promise.

Dressed in civilian attire, Hal climbed the stairs like a normal person instead of hovering outside her window. Olivia didn't know about his not-so-regular-job and the last thing she needed was to be freaked out by a glowing masked man, stalking her apartment.

Reaching the top stair, he grabbed the landing rail and circled the balustrade. He looked up and checked the numbers. Hers was probably at the end. He walked a few paces before he saw it. The yellow police tape over her door.

Hal felt his heart pick up pace. He should have pushed the ring, he could have gotten home faster. His first thought was that she better not be dead, he couldn't even stomach the thought of what that would do to his friend. Despite his protests and behavior to the contrary, Hal suspected that in his heart, Oliver cared a lot of this girl and given time he might actually figure out why and how much but if anything happened to her, he'd blame himself that Hal knew with certainty.

Staring at the door, Hal wondered if he should go inside. He could go around the back and climb up the fire escape, it was dark outside, it'd be unlikely someone would spot him. He tried the handle, it was locked of course. Putting his finger to the lock he envisioned tapping away at the pins in the barrel till the lock released. He turned the handle and slowly inched it open. It looked like hurricane had torn through the place. Some of the wall paintings were askew. The kitchen table was on it's side, two of the legs were broken. It had crashed into a bookcase, spilling books and scattering picture frames on the floor. He picked up one that was in a wood carved frame. It was of Olivia. She was smiling, she looked so young. Younger than he recalled, her hair was long, almost to the middle of her back. If he remembered right, she'd cut it in college and it was still fairly short now. It was a really beautiful picture. The surroundings looked like the King's family home. The front entrance to be exact. It felt like a casual shot. A fleeting moment, frozen in time. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed, her hair brushed till it gleamed like spun silk. It looked like she'd turned back to say something and smiled at whoever had been holding the camera. The glass in the frame was broken and it had a large scratch across her cheek, where it had scratched the photo. Hal pulled it out. There was an inscription on the back. My Princess. Senior Prom 1996. He put the photo in his jacket and searched the room for clues.

Hal simulated a cryonic scanner with his ring. It would reveal prints, chemical residue and biological material that could be easily missed by the human eye. Even with the proper equipment, you would have to know where to look to find something telling. He swept all the rooms. Disregarding the careful foot movements of the officers, he found an interesting scorch pattern on the carpet in the living room. He bent down and ran his fingers over the expanse of it. Acrylic fibers didn't fair well under intense friction. His eyebrow quirked and he left the apartment with a frown. He had a certain speedy to find.

Tuning the ring to home in on Bart's voice, he couldn't believe his luck when the young man's familiar voice filled his ears.

"I called this emergency meeting. I've tried to contact some of the old team but nobody's responding. And we all know Arrow's out of the question. At least We can fill half of their demand."

Tracing the source to the moon, he smiled to himself realizing that someone was making use of the hidden ancient ruins on the dark side of the moon. Either Bart had suddenly developed the ability to teleport and breathe in vacuum or someone had been busy restoring the outpost to its former glory.

He drifted down to the moon's surface and walked to where the trace signal originated. He hadn't eavesdropped on the rest of the conversation but he was eager to discover what Bart knew about the state of Olivia's apartment.

Keeping a wary eye, Hal continued on to walk toward what looked like the main structure. Heading to the archway, a burst of green and blue light charged around him. Lucky he'd put up his personal shield or he was sure the invisible barrier would have knocked him out cold. He amped up the power to his shield and varied the frequency until his hand passed through the barrier. He continued on down the passage way until someone levitated through the floor directly in front of him. Hal recognized him immediately. "J'onn Jonzz, last surviving Martian in the galaxy."

J'onn's eyes flashed red. "Hal Jordan, friend to Oliver Queen and a Green Lantern."

"No points for the obvious but you already know why I'm here so how about you fill me in?" Hal folded his arms and mirrored J'onn's intimidating stance. He knew these Martian types. At least what the logs said about them. All posturing and no sense of humor for one.

J'onn arched an eyebrow and turned before saying over his shoulder. "This way."

The Manhunter lead Hal into a large rotunda that was surrounded by windows on all sides. It gave a panoramic view of the moon's surface. Even without him bouncing off their shield they would have seen him coming. He hadn't seen this place from the outside. He guessed that it was probably protected by a shield too.

Seated at the round table in the center of the room was Bart in his Flash attire and an impressive beauty decked out in a skin tight white uniform. She reminded him of that comic character Aeon Flux sans the head gear, but she was definitely more shapely. He loved curves, especially well rounded hips. Childbearing hips as his Nanna like to say. The raven haired siren arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow and pursed her lips. She was obviously used to his kind of appraisal and he smirked a little, considering the company she kept he had no doubt that she could handle herself just fine.

Bart cleared his throat. "What brings you to our neck of the woods, GL?"

Hal pulled back a chair and sat down. They all wore the same grim expression, tightly controlled emotions, assessing, wary. The stance commanding officers wore before sending men on missions where casualties were a guarantee. "Where's Olivia King?"

Bart didn't ask how he knew but an idea suddenly came to mind. "We can't get the old team but we can still play the team."

J'onn nodded. "I can adopt the shape of Green Arrow but I won't be very convincing with his weapon of choice. Perhaps Hal Jordan would be a more suitable candidate?"

Hal frowned in confusion. "Can you all pretend for a second that I'm new here? Because I gather that Olivia's in trouble but what does that have to do with Green Arrow?"

Diana activated a holographic screen that appeared over the table. "Playback the last two minutes."

It revealed Olivia being cut, her whole body flinching as the knife sliced into her upper left leg.

"This will continue since you refuse to cooperate. Or maybe your friends will have mercy and turn themselves over. Impulse, a.k.a Bart Allen and Green Arrow, you have 24 hours to comply. I doubt your friend Miss King will survive much longer."

"As you can see, we don't have a choice. Unless you know where Oliver is," Bart said his face fierce.

Hal tightened his hands into fist, his teeth grinding together in anger. "Don't put this on him. It's your name on that tape." He didn't know if Oliver was in league with his group but he highly doubted that he'd appreciated being outed without his consent.

"Don't defend him. You don't know the whole story here. He and Lex have a lot more bad blood than anyone else in this room." Bart launched out of his chair and pushed others out of the way to stand over Hal.

"What does Lex have to do with this, the man's dead," Hal shouted back, standing so that the younger man was no longer in his face.

"He's not. He's the one who has Olivia. And he's using her to get to us."

"Incoming Transmission," the computer alert advised.

Diana hit another button. "It's Emil's code. Go ahead, doctor."

"Diana, are the others with you?" When she nodded, he continued. "The city morgue just received Oliver's body. It was transferred here by his attorney this morning. The paperwork just came through. Apparently the authorities had trouble getting a message to the proper channels since there was no ID on the body. A few of the local girls reported him missing last week but the police didn't take them seriously."

Hal's chest tightened and he'd unconsciously curled his fists so tight that fingers cracked. "Where was he found?"

"Fishermen found the body in Mahmudiya Canal, Alexandria."

Oliver said that he was going to the monastery. He'd been dead-set about it but there was only way to confirm for sure. Hal rounded the table and stood behind Diana's chair to face the hologram. "It's not him. But there's one way I can find out for sure. I'll call you in a couple of hours, in the mean time don't do anything and don't let the media find out."

"I think it's a little late for that. The girls have posted their last minutes with him on YouTube and the Egyptian media are all over it. Trust me, my friend downtown will only hold them off for so long, you can guarantee our media will swamp us soon."

"I'll call Richard myself," Hal said the muscles in his jaw flexing with anger. He turned his attention to Bart. "Get your plan together. We'll go over it when I get back."

"You know where he is don't you," Bart said accusingly.

Hal didn't answer, he just stalked away from the table and out of the meeting hall.

Bart made to run after him but J'onn intercepted him. Putting a firm and stilling hand on his shoulder. "Your minds are clouded with anger. It would be best to let him go for now. He will do his best to bring Green Arrow to us. He believes this to be an impostor, the same one who caused Oliver to leave his corporation and losses behind. If he's right, then there is hope yet. We may need Green Arrow's previous encounters with Lex to give us the advantage. If their history is as dark and destructive as you tell it, then having him there will give us the distraction we need to rescue Olivia.

**Ashram Monastery, Ladakh**

On the top of a mountain, over looking a small village sat the monastery that brought a warm yet humbling feeling of nostalgia over him. Was it strange to feel both anxious and excited to be walking those spotless granite floors. For an open air place with no real doors, it was always clean and breathtakingly beautiful. And not just the place but the picturesque views form sunrise to sunset. Here were there was nothing but the elements to break the quiet, it was easy to confront your troubles because there was nothing to distract you.

He climbed the steps to the main gates and bowed to the monk who was sweeping. "I'm here to see a friend."

The man nodded and pulled on the handle, opening the large ornate door. Dawn was approaching and everything was bathed in a warm orange glow. He could see the courtyard was filling with monks ready for the morning prayer. He spotted the single white head at the back. Oliver had shaved his head.

He walked with a brisk stride through the seated bodies and had almost reached his target when a gentle hand touched his arm.

"You must not take him, Hal Jordan."

Hal stopped and looked down at the short fragile looking man. Looks were deceiving, he'd learned that lesson quickly. Every monk here could wipe the floor with him, without his powers of course but still he was a trained air force officer, he'd been through boot camp and he'd done several tours, he could take on guys twice his size and come out on top but these guys taught him there was a whole other level to control and conquering ones enemy. "Master, I must speak to him."

"He is troubled. He has many burdens to shed. If you go to him now, it will only add to the darkness that clouds him soul."

Hal frowned and resisted the urge to curse. "A friend of his is in grave danger," he reasoned pleadingly.

"He will be no help to you as he is. He has only just begun his training. He cannot leave until his training is complete."

Oliver raised his head and their eyes meet for brief second. He showed fear in that second. Of course he would, what other conclusion could he come to at his sudden appearance in full Green Lantern get up. Before Hal could try to convey his urgency, Oliver bowed his head and closed his eyes. He assumed the posture of every other monk in the courtyard and Hal felt his defeat heavily.

"You must go, Hal Jordan."

Hal nodded slowly. "Do me a favor. Wipe the floor with him, okay," he said his voice not conveying the humor he intended.

His Master patted his arm. "He will do well, in time. Please do not come again, unless it is to join us," the old man said with a hint of a smile.

Hal shook his head with a smirk. "Nope, you're still not going convince me to shave my head and wear a dress."

"Go in peace, Hal Jordan. Our blessings go with you."

With a nod, Hal took to the skies. They had a rescue to execute. He prayed the universe was on their side.


	8. Daring Rescue

**Chapter Eight**

**San Diego Base**

"Waiting for satellite to move into position. GL, take the east entrance. It's where the biggest patrol are stationed, make sure you get their attention. Manhunter, the control room is on second floor, third door on the left. Flash, once the security sensors and the door locks have been released I'll give you the signal to get the girl. Doc has his contact ready and on standby at the drop point. My preliminary scans show there's a lead lined basement. We'll need eyes down there as soon as possible. Before we detonate the charges I want the building cleared."

"Copy, HQ," Flash answered. Dropping his hand from his comm. link, he nodded to Martian who dematerialized into the ground. It was just the two of them left hidden amongst the shrubbery and shadow of the trees. Bart didn't feel very inconspicuous dressed in his bright red uniform with a gold lightening bolt across the front. Although, it certainly wore a lot better than his cotton track pants. So far he'd done 23000 miles and there wasn't even a sign of wear in the crotch as he'd expected after the first 1000 miles. Emil knew what he was talking about when he said the silk kevlar twist fiber, knit fabric would out perform even his brand of abuse. It was specially designed to be tear resistant, flame resistant and breathable with excellent thermal properties. Sometimes he even forgot he was wearing it it felt so much like a second skin. He didn't envy Hal, the man looked as stiff as a snap pea.

Hal who was in full Green Arrow attire spared Flash a quick glance. "If you're thinking it, don't say it." He warned. Diana's smirk when he'd appeared in HQ dressed in Oliver's gear had been bad enough.

"Couldn't talk him around huh?" Bart quipped with a hard edge in his tone.

Hal narrowed his eyes behind his mask. "Let's just get this done." His hood felt very restricting and he had no peripheral vision at all. How Oliver thought this worked for stealth or combat operations, Hal had no clue. Not to mention the fact that the leather was chaffing and squeaked with practically every movement. He missed his rubber spandex. With a deep, steadying, preparatory breath, he started walking to the gate that had lone guard posted outside. A nice cover for the odd passer by, they'd be none the wiser to the small army that lay in wait for anyone who dared breech the parameter.

Bart waited as the guard checked Hal over and took away the knife that was strapped to his calve. He gave him a suspicious glare at his lack of weaponry and pushed him along through the gate with the tip of his rifle.

Now the waiting would begin.

**Inside the facility**

Lex stood over Olivia and ran a gloved hand over the cuts on her arm. She shivered involuntarily and cried out from the pain.

"I can make it all stop, all you have to do is tell me who he is."

Olivia tried to swallow but her throat was so dry that it hurt. Her tongue felt like sandpaper and kept sticking to the roof of her mouth. She was worried that she might swallow it and choke to death, not a very comfortable way to die but considering the slow death they were inflicting, she wondered if it would be a welcome way to go. Her face was sticky with sweat and dried tears but she was still lucid enough to know what they were up to and keep fighting against their probing. She knew if she opened her mouth, she'd tell them involuntarily anything they asked. They'd given her some form of truth serum days ago.

She'd lost track of how long she'd been captive. Her brain was almost fully engaged in processing through memories that had nothing to do with Bart Allen or the Green Arrow. It could have be days or only a few hours. The ache in her stomach and her lethargy told her it couldn't be weeks. Her body would have shut down by now from lack of nourishment and rest. As it was, she knew she wouldn't be able to fight them for much longer. She could feel her brain beginning to fog. It was getting harder to stay conscious.

"Her vitals have dropped dramatically. Her brain activity is slowing."

"Good, we might have better luck when she's unconscious," her interrogator announced in a smug tone.

Lex looked at the monitor and made a decision. He put his hand over Olivia's face, cutting off her oxygen supply from her nose and mouth. Her eyes flew wide with panic, and her concentration broke as she struggled. Before she blacked out, she watched her attacker smile a coldly sinister smile.

"She's out," the doctor who had been monitoring Olivia's vitals announced.

"Get to work," Lex said pulling an antibacterial wipe from the dispenser and cleaning his glove.

**A few minutes later**

The door to the room flew open and hit the wall with a loud metallic clang. Olivia rolled her head to the side, but that's all she could manage. She could barely feel her limbs. She tried to move but her legs felt as though they were pinned to the table. Her head felt groggy and everything seemed to echo around her. One arrow flew over her and she felt the air moving around the feathers as it whizzed past her face, it sunk through the muscle in the dark haired man's shoulder, the knife slipping from his fingers as he was pinned to the wall.

The next shot was a green dart to Lex's chest, he dropped to his knees seizing, he eyes narrowing in anger before he pitched forward and hit the floor. Her vision swam and she blinked. Tears spilled down the sides of her head and into her ears. Despite her warning, he'd come for her. While she still feared for his safety, unsure of the odds they would face trying to escape, she couldn't begin to describe the joy she felt at seeing him.

Green Arrow leaned over her, cutting away her restraints with precise flicks of his wrist. His face was tense, his jaw set in a grim line. He avoided looking at her. She closed her eyes and when he lifted her into his arms as though she weighed nothing, Olivia buried her face into his chest. His body was so firm, she could feel each movement of his muscles against her cheek and she could feel the heat of his body under the leather. She threw her arms around his neck, finding his pulse point, reassuring her that he was real.

He didn't speak the whole time they ducked down corridors and out of the building. She fell asleep to the sound of his strong heartbeat. When she woke up they were in the back of a van with black tinted windows. He was seated across from her, hunched forward, his hooded head in his hands. She lay on the foam mat on the floor of the van at his feet. Reaching over, she put her hand around the boot of his left foot.

"Hey, you need to rest."

He'd turned his voice distorter off and hearing his warm soothing voice made her eyes smart again.

"You came alone? He would have killed you. Why did you?"

"It was my mistake, Olivia. Look at what they did to you. I don't think I can ever forgive myself..." He dropped to his knees and pulled her to his chest, burying his nose in her hair.

She leaned back and reached up to touch the side of his face inside his hood. A tear slipped down from behind his glasses.

Oliver lifted his hand to pull his glasses from his face, and over his shoulder, Olivia notice a shadow shift in the dark corner of the van, a gloved hand reaching out toward them. Her heart thundered in her chest. She didn't know what or who it was but she understood the warning. She grabbed Oliver by the back of his head and pulled him down to the hollow of her neck before he could reveal himself. "No," she cried.

**In the control room**

J'onn telepathically disabled the guards and overrode the command controls for the buildings security. He also copied all the security footage to a portable drive and wiped the server memory bank.

"Security down," he said into his communicator.

"HQ acknowledged. Flash, you're up," Diana advised.

** The atrium**

Lex smirked happily as the Green Arrow was shoved at gun point through the double doors. He was flanked by guards and he was unarmed. "You know, I'd hoped you got my message but I honestly thought you'd come better prepared. Where's the rest of the team? Lurking about the place, would be my guess."

"Intruder alert, systems breech. Intruder alert."

Lex shook his head and flexed his fingers. "They couldn't have known about that safety protocol. Anyone tries to wipe the system without my access key, the whole place lights up with warning bells leading me straight to the traitor. You would have been safe if you'd just come for the girl but couldn't resist could you? You just have to blow up everything I own."

Guards poured in from the corridors on either side of the main stairwell. Cutting off all the exits, there was no escape.

"Bring him. I want to see his face when I pull the plug on our hostage. Fredricks, have a team secure the basement and check the control room." Lex walked closer to where Green Arrow stood. He took a switch blade and put it to Green Arrow's cheek. "If I remember correctly, I owe you a scar."

Hal heard Diana give Flash the go-ahead. Olivia would be out of the facility by now. There was no need for the charade to continue. Before Lex could cut him, Hal closed his fist around Lex's wrist and headbutted him. With the added power of his shield, Lex went staggering backward.

"Shoot him."

Bullets bounced off the shield and he continued to stalk Lex.

Lex's eyes widened and he struggled to stand straight while scurrying backward. "What are you?" he shrieked.

Guards dove at him and tried to tackle him down. Hal dodged and sucker punched anyone in his way. He merely smiled at Lex's hysterics and continued to hunt the man as he hurried up the staircase while glancing over his shoulder, almost tripping over his own feet as he ran.

J'onn was on his way to the basement when a sharp pain tore through his skull. He kept a loose psychic link to Olivia at all times throughout the mission to monitor her status. The psychic blow left him staggering and stole his breath for a moment. He spoke into his communicator and called out to Bart. "Do you have her? I can't... I don't sense her."

"I'm here but I don't know what to tell you yet. Give me a second."

Bart stood in the middle of the lab completely at a loss to come to grips with what he saw. He thought he was prepared to see her, especially considering how many times he'd gone over the footage. He'd planted the charges in less than a minute. He couldn't get access to the basement without J'onn's override but he'd thought getting half the job done would mean they would be out of this place of torment a little quicker.

There was a lab technician unconscious by a large mirror-like window and the dark haired man he'd seen from the video tape was slumped over Olivia's upper body. His hands were positioned on either side of her head. It was as though he'd been ready to snap her neck. Bart saw red.

Shoving the man off her without a care to where he landed, Bart blurred into action. Unhooking her from all the equipment and untying her restraints. He tried to pull out the IV tubing but it wouldn't come out. It was like it was glued in. Instead he shut off the valve and unhooked the line. Putting his arms under her body, he tried to lift Olivia off the table and nearly sprained his back.

Bart stared down at her in confusion. Did they pump her full of lead? He brushed back the damp hair from her colorless face, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Whatever's going on in there, Liv you have to help me somehow. I can't get you out of here on my own." Then he was struck with a brain wave. The table was supporting her weight, he could push her out. Sure it wouldn't be easy maneuvering but he'd dare anyone to stand up to a metal train traveling faster than a normal person could blink.

A facility warning broke from the intercom. "Intruder alert, systems breech. Intruder alert."

"Flash, GL, Manhunter, do you read? The building has gone into lock down. You've all got less than five minutes to get out."

"Acknowledged, HQ. That's plenty of time."

Bart sped Olivia out of the building, bumping the table down the ramp and across the grassy area, over the gravel road and up the highway to the drop point outside San Diego Valley Hospital. He wheeled the table to a stop and hit the emergency call button, before ducking out of sight. Medics rushed to the ambulance bay and tried taking her from the bed, but they had about as much luck as he had. They called on a few orderlies to help and with eight of them working together they were able to transfer her to a trolley. She was stiff as a board. Bart watched restlessly from his perch across the street. He felt like a coward and the worst kind of scum for leaving her like that but everyone had talked him into it. It was the only way Richard would be able to find her without any suspicion falling on him. Emil promised that his contact would call the Kings immediately and have her transferred to Star City and Emil's care with their consent.

They'd already forged documents to show that Olivia had been seeing Dr. Hamilton for her headaches regularly, so he would be able to request her patient records without questions.

As they pushed her trolley through the glass emergency doors he felt his heart sink. J'onn had said that he couldn't sense her and when he'd tried to move her, he hadn't let himself explore the reasons why but his mind began to wonder about the possibilities now. He'd never moved a dead body before. When did rigor set in? Did he his brain mistake stiffness for extra weight? But that didn't explain the needle getting stuck. He stomped in super-speed and put a crack in the concrete step. Before anyone could be alerted to the sound he had made, he blurred to an quiet parkland area and spoke into his communicator. "Drop has been made, beam me up, Scottie," he said the last part in an effort to cheer himself up before he faced Diana but it didn't work. When she appeared before him, her expression grim, he didn't even have the energy to muster the usual grin he greeted every attractive female with that crossed his path.

Bart stepped down off the transport pad and met in Diana hallway to the observation room.

"The compound is gone," she said briskly.

"What?" Bart startled out of his stupor.

"Before he could break through the barrage of guards blocking his access, J'onn sensed Lex's plan. He was using his men as a diversion. The second he knew we'd infiltrated his base, he initiated his fail safe. The explosions started in the basement and the building collapsed in on itself. Hal and J'onn were able to get some of the personnel out in time but there are many still trapped inside. The building is burning and we still have no idea what he was hiding by destroying the facility or how any are dead. The heat is hampering my ability to source survivors, I'm calibrating the system to target specific temperature margins but it may still be a hit and miss affair. I was trying to reach you on your communicator so you could assist, what happened?"

Bart looked up at her sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "I might have tuned out there for a bit."

Diana touched his shoulder. "If I had your speed, I would go in your place but they need you. The structure is highly unstable, we need you to save as many survivors as possible. They are our only hope of discovering what Lex was doing at that facility."

Bart nodded and stepped back onto the teleportation pad. "I go where I'm needed ma'am," he said with a nod and a brief smile.

Diana returned it, her eyes sympathetic. She waited until he disappeared before striding quickly back to her system. On a separate screen, she called Emil. "Has he been notified?"

"I called him myself. We're meeting in five minutes to fly out. I'll call you with an update once I've seen her myself."

"Thank you, Emil," Diana said softly. "I'm sure Bart will breathe easier once she's in your care."

"I know, we all will. I'll call as soon as I have anything." He ended the transmission and Diana went back to her satellite feed, still waiting for her the images to adjust to her new parameters.


	9. Bonus Chapter: For ClanaGirl

**Chapter Nine  
Luthor Mansion**

Tess woke with a start. Something had broken her out of her sleep. The gossamer curtains bellowed with the night breeze. She swung her legs over the side of the mattress and slipped her feet into her slippers. Heading the the window, she pulled the pane in and hooked the lock into the catch. A shiver snaked down her spine. She had learned long ago not to disregard that feeling. When she was a child it meant to run and hide because her father was drunk again and looking for his favorite rag doll.

Walking to her dresser, she took out her sword. The blade was flat and thin and easy concealed in the folds of her satin dressing gown.

She left the bed and padded barefoot down the hallway. The guards patrolled the exterior of the mansion at night. She was alone in the house. The window and door alarms were active so if anyone had come inside, the alarm would have gone off. Unless they'd deactivated it somehow. She realized that she was possibly being paranoid but since discovering a naked man in her backyard two months again, she didn't ignore any inklings of danger. It paid to be prepared.

Opening the door to her the study, she was prepared to check the security footage of the mansion and the surrounding grounds when a figure, hunched over in her chair stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Lex?" The sixth sense she had for danger tingled all the more and she hesitated moving any further while she wanted for the bald seated figure to show his face or respond to her query.

Lex turned to face her, and leveled the gun at her chest. "Drop the sword, Mercy. We both know my aim is better than yours."

Tess didn't move to comply with his wishes and stood staring at him, forcing down her rising panic. He was supposed to be dead. "What do you want, Lex?"

He smiled bitterly. "I would think it's rather obvious. I entrusted my estate to your care. You've done a less than stellar job. I thought the instructions were implicit. My interest were to be your first and only priority."

"So you're here to punish me?" She quirked a wary eyebrow and tightened her grasp on the handle of her blade. She might not be able to out run a bullet, but she could definitely do some damage before he took her down.

Lex stood slowly. "I would..."

It was only when he pitched forward a little, and a grimace of pain clouded his stoic face that she realized he was already wounded. The gun clattered to the surface of the glass topped desk and Lex slumped back into the swivel chair. "Mercy," he groaned softly, his voice pleading.

Ordinarily, Tess would have been moved hearing such a tone from the man she had both admired and secretly loved. He'd shattered her image of him when she'd discovered from his ex that he'd implanted hardware in her brain without her knowledge and had been watching her every move since she'd been given control of his assets, perhaps longer. She had no idea when he'd done the procedure. Considering his previous experiments and secret labs, he could have had her abducted in her sleep and returned without her ever remembering. She stood her ground, watching his tortured expression as he gingerly opened his coat.

There was a dark crimson patch staining the pristine white linen shirt he wore. He lifted his head. His face had paled and a beads of sweat dotted his brow. "I know what I did to you, Mercy. Forgive me? I don't know who I can trust. If I can trust anyone." His face twisted in pain again and he held out his hand to her. It was now stained with his blood.

Tess felt her chest tighten. She considered herself a strong and independent woman, but when it came to a couple of handsome, wealthy men, she found herself flailing, bending to accommodate their every whim. She hated that about herself. She hated that she couldn't fight against this invisible hold they had over her. Lex had tried to have her killed before, for defying his wishes. He'd held a gun at her mere moments ago and here she was about to rush to his side because of his need. Because of the way he was looking at her. Like she was his savior, that she was the only one he could turn to. Placing the sword on top of the piano, she walked briskly to his side. Taking the gun off the desk and putting it on the bookshelf nearby, she went to his uninjured side, and put her arm under his. Hooking his arm around her shoulders, she heaved him upright. As she forced them toward the door, she wondered what drove him to come to her of all people. "Terminate all the doctors you could bribe to keep your existence quiet?" she taunted bitterly.

Lex gave her a twisted smile. "Not all, but I always appreciated your bedside manner and you have the most exquisite hands."

Tess didn't smile and she pretended not to notice the way his eyes roamed over her body with unabashed appraisal.

"You are beautiful, Tess."

Her heart flipped over at his soft words. His lids were drooping and he wasn't doing a very good job of supporting his own weight. It had to be the pain talking. He needed her. Lex was used to using people, he'd say what ever he needed to do to ensure that he got what he wanted from her. She shouldn't take anything he said as truth. Unfortunately her heart wasn't listening to her head.

Lex's knees gave out and they would have crashed into a wall if Tess had been a smaller person. She'd always been tall and in heels she would have matched him for height, and after leaving home at sixteen she'd done her best to build up her physique, to ensure no man ever made her feel powerless again. But as they struggled down the corridor, she considered calling security. Lugging 180 odd pounds of uncooperative male wasn't easy, even for her and all their jostling couldn't be good for his injury. She moved for the intercom.

"No."

His head lolled to her chest and with effort he looked up at her again. Sweat dripping down his neck from exertion. She looked at him with concern. "Lex, I can't do this on my own."

"No one-" he hissed with effort, his eyes closing again.

Tess paused. Her brain clicked over. It would explain why there had been no alarm raised. Either they'd been scared off, or they were dead their bodies scattered over the grounds someplace. "You need a doctor. I'm a biologist not a surgeon."

"I trained you how to take care of yourself in any situation," he said squeezing her arm in a surprisingly strong grip considering he was barely holding himself upright. "I'll talk you through it if you really need the refresher," he smiled at her and leaned closed to her temple, burying his nose in her hair. "I trust you, Mercy."

Tess nodded and continued walking toward the main bedroom. If that's what he wanted then at least his death would be on his own fault. If he didn't bleed to death, he could very well develop an infection from lack of proper care. Or once he passed out she could call someone. She had plenty of medical personnel in her employ at LuthorCorp. And more than a handful would happily except a raise for their discretion. Was it completely delusional that she wanted him to live? With everything she'd learned about him, his obsession with the meteor infected, with aliens, the almost incalculable acts of cruelty that had been carried out at his request, his unquenchable thirst for power, the ruthless darkness he kept well hidden behind that public humanitarian face. How could she aid a man like that? How could she love him? Maybe it's because she understood his fears, his motivations. They had both desperately wanted to be loved by their fathers only to have that denied over and over again. Cruelty was something they'd learned from the cradle. Or perhaps it was because he'd taken her in when no one else would, shown her compassion and given her a way to forge out a successful path for herself. Given her means and skills to ensure that none could ever make her feel helpless or worthless again. Tess allowed him to leaned heavily against her, as she opened the bedroom door. As she lay him down and stared at his still figure, she knew the truth. When she looked in the mirror, after surviving another treat to her company, or to her person, she could she that same darkness in herself.

Walking across the hall to one of the guest bedrooms, she entered the bathroom and opened the cabinet under the sink. Taking out the first aid kit, she also reached for a the bottles of iodine and alcohol. She still had a well stocked supply of bandages and healing balm from her time caring for one alien Davis Bloom. With the amount of break ins and attempts on her life in recent times it had paid to be prepared. Going back to Lex, she sat by his side and began to undo his shirt bottoms.

Lex's eyes flew wide and his squeezed Tess' wrist with crushing force before he realized whom it was that was touching him. He relaxed his hold and stared at her before speaking, his voice breaking, "Thank you. My Mercy."

Tess held his gaze unblinking and watched as his eyes rolled back and his hand fell way from arm. A single tear slipped down her cheek and she blinked and continued to stare at him, frozen. Her heart continued its dangerous tango in her chest and she squared her jaw, forcing her chaotic feelings to the back of her mind and focusing on the task at hand. She promised herself that as soon as he was patched up and conscious again she was going to demand answers. She would use persuasive drugs if she had to. He wouldn't keep her in the dark this time. This time, she would be his equal. Besides, she would wager that there was a lot he didn't know considering his forced seclusion these past few months. Things that she would tell him if he'd play ball.

**San Diego Base, previously**

Fire trucks, ambulance and police had arrived at the scene and were attending to the injured. Hal was the only one who'd established a relationship with the authorities so far and he was currently giving them a statement. After Lex had managed to disappear in the chaos, he'd shed Oliver's Green Arrow attire to reveal his customary Green Lantern uniform.

"An informant advised us that this place was conducting human experiments. When I investigated with my team, we found Olivia King. Our presence triggered a fail safe. The building was wired with explosives. Whoever was behind her kidnapping didn't want to leave any evidence of what they were doing here."

"You realize that by operating without the knowledge and support of local enforcement that you'll be under suspicion?"

"My team are willing to submit to questioning and we are just as anxious as you are to see that Miss King meet with a full recovery so we can learn what happened here."

"Thank you for your co-operation Green Lantern."

"You're welcome, sir. Please radio me anytime. If I'm within range I'll answer as soon as possible."

With a nod, the detective left him and moved away to consult with his forensics team.

Bart appeared next to Hal and stood with his arms folded across his chest. "Do you think he's buying it?"

Hal looked at over at him, his jaw tense. "I've worked with Detective Owen before. He's by the book. While I think he trusts me, he'll run everything as he sees it. He'll want to talk to you too. He'll try to get your identity out of you. Don't be smart," he cautioned with a frown.

Bart rolled his eyes. "Thanks so much for the vote of confidence. This isn't my first rodeo you know. I'm good with the boys in Keystone."

"Yeah well, every district is different, not to mention the individual laws of each state. Try remembering the customs, politics and laws of several galaxies at any given time and then I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

Bart huffed and walked over to the group of buses already crowded with injured and paramedics. "Hey guys, there's another group just at the bottom of the hill. I've got them blanketed but a lot of them are only semi-conscious. You might wanna take a look."

Two medics broke away from the group, shouldering medkits. "Lead on," said one.

**On a private jet**

Lex watched the news coverage for the area. A camera panned the fiery ruins and he noticed a man dressed in black and green talking to he suspected was Bart Allen in the background. "So they're going to play the heroes on this? Because of them a years worth of painstaking acquisition and refinement has gone to waste. They've cost me millions."

"Actually, sir, it was 347.6 million, not taking into account the delay it's put on supply of our government weapons contract."

Lex hissed and shot him a silencing glare. "As soon as the area has been cleared I want a team to retrieve what they can from the site."

"Yes, sir. Do you want to stick your original schedule? Considering everything that's happened maybe you should disappear for awhile..."

The man abruptly stopped talking when he noticed Lex's scotch glass shatter. "I've been in hiding long enough. We proceed as planned. Mercy needs to be reminded of why I chose her. She's acting like she's won the lottery. I bought The Daily Planet so I could control one of the most powerful mediums in circulation, not so she could use it as a launching pad for her personal goals. Although, despite her little misstep with Queen Industries, she's been turning a nice profit for LuthorCorp. My father would have been impressed." His mouth curled into a cruel smile. "Where is she?"

"Her schedule says she'll be at the Ace of Clubs in Metropolis. She's meeting with Good Morning Metropolis' executive producers and City Waves Radio executive producer to pitch her media initiative."

"Take us to Smallville, we'll pay a visit to the mansion after her meeting in Metropolis." Lex threw his broken glass into the trash and dusted his gloves.

"Sure thing, Mr. Luthor." Lex moved to stand and pain ripped down his left side. He pulled open his suit jacket and noticed that his blue silk skirt was dark and clinging to him like a second skin. Strange, he hadn't even felt pain before now. The room started to spin and he tried to push the call button but instead found the floor coming up fast, then nothing.


	10. A Journey To The Past

**Chapter 10  
Helicopter somewhere over the Californian desert**

Hannah sobbed as she clutched Olivia's arm to her chest. It was so much heavier than she remembered, like a dead weight, and cold. It served to make her sorrow more than she could bear. "I'm so sorry, baby girl."

Richard glanced at the doctor with graying hair, seated across from them. Despite the glasses and the gray streaks he didn't look older than his late thirties, how had he come to know Olivia. It seemed too convenient that he'd learned of her location so quickly, even if he was her consulting doctor.

"Bart called me," Emil said answering the quiet assessing look Olivia's father was discreetly giving him. "He's been looking into Olivia's appearance as I'm sure you're aware. He learned of her location when one of his contacts in the San Diego P.D. called his office. A warehouse in San Diego suffered an explosion. There was a long list of people who needed identifying. One of the officers recognized Olivia from his report."

"She was being held there? Why was she just left at emergency?"

"I don't know much more than you do," Emil lied easily. "What I do know is that whatever her captors did, it's put her into a catatonic state and altered her molecular structure."

Richard's lips pulled into a tight line. Unlike Hannah, he had yet to touch his daughter. Just looking at the tubing in her nose, the pale taught pull of her skin, the cuts and bruises that scarred her arms, he couldn't bring himself to make the move. He wanted to wake up from this nightmare. As much as he felt grateful over the fact that he had her back, he wondered if there was anything left of his precious baby girl. He wondered if it were more humane for her never to wake up, for her to stay asleep and never know any more of this horrible nightmare.

They landed twenty minutes later at S.T.A.R Labs and Hannah let the doctors wheel Olivia away to the entrance opposite the helipad. Richard held her in his arms and hugged her tight while she cried softly into his shoulder.

"This is my fault, Richard. I'm so sorry. I might never be able to tell her sorry I am," Hannah sobbed brokenly.

Richard felt his own eyes burn with tears at his wife's distress. Her beautiful blue eyes red rimmed and awash with tears, her cheeks blotched and her nose running he never loved her more than he did now. While Olivia had his heart, a father's love, this woman was his life. Without her he knew he couldn't keep up the fight to go on. "How is any of this your fault?" he asked genuinely confused, and wishing to heaven he could ease her pain.

"She's... I was never supposed to get pregnant. At least not until I understood. I didn't even know what was going on with me. I wasn't supposed to get pregnant," Hannah finished brokenly.

Richard felt his heart thump unsteadily in his chest. He could feel his muscles tightening. It was getting harder to breathe. He had a quick mind. It's what helped him stay ahead in the courtroom. It's what kept him in league with those sharp witted young attorneys the schools were turning out these days. They had conceived Olivia very soon after Hannah's recovery. So grateful to have his wife back, he'd never given much thought to her mysterious illness in the first place. That and the fact she'd been more of an attentive wife after her recovery, almost completely leaving her work behind until Olivia was in grade school. She'd put her family first from the day she'd woke up from her year long coma. "What do you mean?"

"The headaches. She's always been so smart, Richard..."

"There are plenty of smart kids out there. MENSA tests from..."

"I faked the test!" Hannah argued, pulling away from him. "I fabricated all of them. After she finished my chemical equation without a single mistake at four years old, I was too scared to take her to anyone. I made up all those tests myself. I took her to doctors I could trust. Or ones I could blackmail into keeping quiet. You never wondered why she never ever got sick growing up? Why she never had a cold or had to stay home from school with the chicken pox or the flu like other kids?"

Richard frowned and tried to calm her nervous pacing by taking her arm. She pulled away from him and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why aren't you yelling? I made our daughter into the freak of nature that she is and you're just standing there, don't you care?"

Richard got angry then. He took this flailing woman with wild eyes and wind swept hair and shook her. "She's not a freak, and neither are you. You made a mistake. We both got past that years ago. Olivia is the best thing that ever happened to both of us. So she's a little different. I've always thought she was perfect."

Hannah sagged in defeat. She beat against Richard's chest halfheartedly and let out a sob. "She'll hate me. When I tell her, she'll hate me. All her headaches, now this. She won't ever forgive me."

"You know that's not true. Olivia can't hate anyone, least of all you. Now let's get in there. She needs her mother now more than ever, so pull it together. We need to be strong for her."

Wordlessly, Richard ushered her toward the glass doors and they went in search of Olivia's new doctor, Emil.

They stopped outside her room. It was more of a laboratory set up than a hospital room. Machines and lines hooked up all over the place. Richard recognized the one that looked like a heart monitor, the rest he could only begin to hazard a guess as to their function.

Emil saw them through the shutters and met them outside. "Due to her altered molecular structure we are having trouble determining the extent of the damage done to her physiology. I have a CO2 sensor set up to monitor the depth of her expiration and I've put her in an oxygen chamber to help her breathe. I can't source a heart beat and her chest is barely moving. She's impenetrable."

Hannah and Richard shared a look and she knew he was wondering the same thing she was. "That's not an ability she's had before."

"We've only had two sessions together. She was hoping I could find the trigger behind her headaches. I wasn't aware she had any unique abilities."

Hannah sighed softly. "I've heard about some of the research S.T.A.R. Labs has done into the metahuman population. I'm not sure I want Olivia to be treated here."

Emil smiled. "I can assure you that while I work here, my research is my own. Olivia is a private case. My employers won't be privy to any information regarding her treatment."

Hannah glanced at her husband. "If we find that you've broken our confidence or Olivia is mistreated in any way, there will be a very public case brought against you and this organization."

Emil nodded and handed her his clipboard. "I've read your work before, Dr. King. Please make yourself at home, I'd certainly appreciate the assist. You know more about Olivia's medical history than I've been able to source and I could use any insights you might have as to how to approach things from here on out."

"Have you tried drawing blood?"

Emil nodded again and held the door for them as they all entered Olivia's room. "There's a catheter in her hand but it's almost as though it's fused with her skin. I can't draw blood and she's not taking fluids either. I'm beginning to think she might have triggered a defensive mechanism. If she doesn't come out of this state soon, I'm afraid having been deprived of nutrients and having suffered physical trauma to this extent..."

"Don't say it," Hannah warned. "My daughter's a fighter. She'll pull out of this. In the mean time I want to see if we can monitor brain activity. I've been reading those waves since she was a baby, I'll know what to look for there's anything hinky going on in there."

Watching his wife's face transform into one of purposeful ambition, Richard allowed himself a small smile of relief. They weren't out of the woods yet, but just seeing her with a sense of determination gave him reason to hope. Hannah wouldn't rest until Olivia was awake and healthy again.

Twelve hours later, Richard stood in the hallway with Bart. He'd called the young man hours ago to thank him for finding Olivia and for information on her captors. Bart told him all he could regarding her arrival to the Valley Hospital but that the perpetrators had yet to be caught and brought to justice. Richard hadn't been happy but Bart had assured him that he hadn't given up looking for answers yet. He had speculated if there was a link between the explosion of that compound and Olivia's resurfacing. Richard had said he'd help to see what he could dig up using his own sources.

Bart zipped out a few minutes ago to get coffee and bagels. It had been a long night and he knew that Olivia's parents hadn't left her bedside since flying back with her from San Diego. He walked down the hallway to Olivia's room when he noticed Emil and a short haired African American woman talking animatedly outside her door.

He zipped into a room closer to where they stood and edged to the doorway to listen in.

"I want to know everything that happens inside that room," the woman said with cool authority.

Emil sighed. "If I'd known taking your offer meant I'd lose all my rights, I wouldn't have accepted. I've turned a blind eye to your questionable code of ethics but I draw the line at breaching doctor patient privilege."

"Her mother has been on our radar since experimenting on herself in the eighties. While we have no proof that she has abilities of any kind, the brief I've seen proves that her daughter has. You know how we proceed from here."

"She's been here less than twelve hours, who do you know anything concrete." Emil seemed less than pleased with the idea that he might have a mole working in his lab.

"Let's just say we've been keeping tabs and the latest report I received provided some enlightening information. I'm keen to meet her when she wakes." Her smug assessment of the situation had Bart on edge. He didn't like this woman one bit.

"If we're done, I need to get back to my patient."

"I'll be waiting, doctor."

Bart waited until her heels clicking on the tiled floor could no longer be heard. He whipped out of the room and into Emil's office before the doctor had even had a chance to sit down.

"Dude, how could you? You sold out to some secret government chick?" Bart said planting his hands on his hips while looming over the doctor condescendingly.

Emil leaned back in his chair tiredly and quirked an eyebrow at Bart through his thick concave lenses. "So you heard Waller. You're lucky she didn't see you. You're on her watch list you know."

Bart snorted. "She can watch all see wants."

Emil grimaced. "Arrogance is what got you caught last time. Be smart, Bart. Stay out of this okay."

"So you're going to give her what she wants?" Bart practically yelled.

Emil gave him a long suffering look. "I'm going to tell her parents what Waller wants. And let them decide. Right now there's not a lot more we can do for Olivia. Unless her condition changes miraculously, she might never come out of the coma."

Bart swallowed tightly, the bag of bagels and tray of coffee he was holding long forgotten. "You said they've been trying to get through to her right? Talking and stuff? What if that's not enough. Can we go deeper?"

Emil smiled brightly at his young friend, before turning to tap away at his computer. "I can't believe I didn't think of that. You just might be onto something."

When Diana took Emil's call, she immediately patched him directly to J'onn who'd gone home for the night. J'onn had agreed to meet them and flew to the Lab to find his friends. They met him on the roof.

"Her parents are extremely worried and suspicious of everyone. I think rather than try to make up a back story you should just disguise yourself as a lab technician. I have to hook up a new tank of O2 soon, you could wheel it in. I'll try and get the parents to take a break."

J'onn scanned the database that Emil had brought him on the tablet and chose a form of one of the orderlies that wasn't on duty.

Bart watched as J'onn transformed before his eyes. He blinked. "I don't think there's any getting used to that."

His eyes glowed red briefly before J'onn smiled. "I would be concerned if you did."

Bart glanced down at his hands. Finally remembering the coffee. "I guess I need to make another breakfast run."

Emil clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm sure they'll appreciate the gesture."

About twenty minutes later, Bart had coaxed Richard into taking Hannah home for awhile. Get some sleep and a proper breakfast. With a nod, he promised to stay until they returned.

Bart watched J'onn or whom he believed was J'onn now looking like 'Bernard' wheeling a tall oxygen tank down the corridor toward him. He held the door for him and closed the door behind them.

"I wouldn't have a clue as to where I'm supposed to put this."

Bart whooshed into superspeed and the task was done in a second. The near empty tank now on the dolly. "Done. Is she in there, J'onn?"

His usually green friend stood silently by Olivia's bedside. His hand lightly resting over the perspex chamber that covered the bed.

"I can't sense her mind. Perhaps if I had physical contact."

Bart scratched his head at the mental image that popped into his head. J'onn flashed him a disapproving stare and Bart blushed in embarrassment. "I know what you meant," Bart said in his defense.

J'onn reached up and activated the control that lifted the oxygen chamber from the bed. He raised it only slightly so that he could fit his arm underneath. Taking the hand that had the catheter still inserted, he put his thumb over the metal.

Ordinarily if one was to do that to a person, it would cause a lot of discomfort. Olivia didn't even blink, but Bart flinched for her.

"It was the only weak point I could discern," J'onn explained, wanting Bart to understand that he didn't want to intentionally cause Olivia pain. "It will be my access. Unless of course, you think I should try another method to provoke a physical connection." J'onn looked at him directly and raised an eyebrow.

Bart stared back at him slightly open mouthed. "Did you just crack a joke? It was a joke. Right," Bart answered, his face reddening, letting out a nervous chuckle.

J'onn's lips turned up in a small smile and he focused his attention back on Olivia. "Olivia, it's J'onn. I'm here to help you."

**1984**

Olivia was sitting on the carpet playing with her toy octopus. Her mom said she wasn't old enough to get a real aquarium yet so she had to make do with her plush marine life and visits to the city aquarium until her mom decided she was responsible enough to have a salt water aquarium of her own.

A pair of jean clad legs appeared in her peripheral vision and she looked up from arranging her blue octopus' tentacles, as one of her toys let out a high pitched squeak.

"You're standing on Bubbles," she pointed out calmly, surveying the newcomer with a mildly interested gaze.

"Stuffed toys are for babies."

Olivia narrowed her eyes at him. "Who said they're just for babies?"

For awhile people had wondered if she was deaf because she hadn't said more than a handful of words till she was almost three years old. Or so her parents kept repeating every time someone mentioned how well spoken she was for her age, her mom argued that she'd spent the first thirty odd months of her life just listening so she aught to be able to use the right words considering at least one of her parents made his living out of speaking well.

Oliver took his shoe off the plush dory fish and frowned at it. Plucking it off the floor, he turned it over in his hands. He dropped it on the floor again and kicked it closer to her. "My dad says those things are just for babies. Kids are supposed to play with cool stuff like bows and arrows."

"Do you want one of my plushies?" Olivia said holding up her speckled orange star fish. He didn't look like he really believed what his dad had said, but then she could never really tell with Oliver. He always looked like he was in a bad mood. Or maybe he just didn't like being stuck with her. Their fathers were in a meeting again. And it was taking a long time. Their meetings always took a long time.

"No," he said rather harshly. But he sat down and peered at her more closely. "You're not like other babies."

Olivia tried very hard not to get upset. She wasn't a baby, she was nearly four. Well three and a half. He was only two years older. Why would he call her a baby? She sucked in her bottom lip and clamped down on it hard.

"Oh, now you're gonna cry. Mom's gonna kick my ass."

Olivia's eyes went wide at his words. He said a bad word. Daddy had said it once and mommy had pinched him. She did it under the table but Olivia knew she'd done it because of daddy's expression.

Oliver rolled his eyes at Olivia's face. She looked like a cartoon with her eyes all big and wet. "If you don't tell, I'll give you a lollipop."

Olivia frowned and let out a big breath. "I'm not supposed to have..."

"Geez are you a goody-goody all the time?" He unwrapped the sucker and stuck it in her mouth. Grabbing her hand, he hauled her to her feet. He moved away so quickly that Olivia nearly tripped over. She did that easily enough on her own, it didn't help that he was a lot taller and impatient. "Now come on, I'll show you a real star fish."

**Present day**

J'onn lifted his hand and his eyes stopped glowing. Bart about pounced on him in anticipation.

"Well?"

J'onn shook his head. "She didn't sense me at all. She didn't even see me, I was standing right in front of her. Well next to her young friend anyway."

"Speak English, dude. She's okay though. In her mind?" Bart had a hard time trying to picture what went on in Olivia's head. She was conversations ahead of him sometimes. He knew women thought on different wavelengths but sometimes he had wondered if Olivia was especially unique. After yesterday, he now knew that was true.

J'onn frowned and gently touched her hand again. "She's very deep in her own memories. She's reliving the past. Perhaps it's where she feels safe or perhaps it was her last line of defense against the mental probes they were employing against her."

"Can you pull her out?" Bart asked more worried than before. If she didn't know she was safe now, she would keep her guard up and with her guard up they couldn't help her. "Can't you tell her she's safe."

"I can keep trying to reach her, but we haven't got a lot of time. We can't really do this with her parents here."

Bart clenched his fists. "I'll stall them if I have to, you're the only one who can get in there J'onn."

**1988**

Olivia sat curled against Laura Queen's side as she read aloud from the large leather bound storybook in her lap.

Her parents were on a rare vacation away together to celebrate an anniversary. Usually they included her in everything they did from interstate conferences to medical lectures but when it came to their wedding anniversary, Olivia understood she needed to be left behind. It was nice to know that her parents still loved each other. A lot of her friends and classmates came from broken homes, while she envied them in a few things, she was intensely grateful for the love that her parents obviously shared. Like the Queens. Oliver was lucky that way too.

Ordinarily, if her parents were going away she would just stay behind with Henry, their butler. But Henry was in England visiting with his sick mother.

Olivia loved the way Laura's voice animated the characters of the story in The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. Laura also had a beautiful smile to accompany that sweet voice. It was like sunshine, all warm and bright. She also had the prettiest sparkling green eyes that glowed whenever she looked down at her after reading a particularly thrilling section of the story.

It as silly to feel anxious but whenever she was away from her parents, she couldn't help the nagging fear that they might not return to her. So many things could go wrong. She wasn't naive, she knew that being with them wouldn't stop bad things from happening, but at least she'd be with them. They'd be together.

Her parents trusted the Queens to take care of her and she knew she had to make it easier for them to do that duty by being an obedient and understanding child. There was no sense in letting her anxiety show when there was nothing that could make her parents return any quicker. At least not without the expense of their enjoyment of their holiday. So instead she reminded herself to focus on the moment, and the enthusiasm Laura poured into the story and the warm affection she was showing her by squeezing her hand and smiling at her continuously.

There was stomping noise in the passage way outside the room and both Laura and Olivia looked up. In the doorway stood seven-year-old Oliver dressed in Hulk cartoon covered pajamas, glaring daggers at Oliver from where he stood.

"Olllie, why aren't you in bed?" Laura inquired lightly, though she frowned disapprovingly at him

"That's mine," he said pointing to the book.

Olivia looked up at Laura and sat back quietly. She knew better than to push him on that claim. Oliver had a fiery temper. "Is it okay if I go to sleep, Auntie Laura? I feel a bit tired."

Laura raised an eyebrow and looked across at her in concerned surprise. "I thought you were enjoying the story."

Olivia smiled. "I was but maybe we can read it a little more tomorrow with Ollie. Gerda does an awful lot to try to find Kay."

Laura tucked her in and kissed her forehead. "She does indeed. Goodnight, Olivia."

Taking Oliver by the hand, she handed him the book and turned out the light. Closing the door behind her.

**Present day**

Bart noted the nano-second J'onn was back. It was easy now that he knew what to look for. That tiny de-wrinkle of his brow just before his eyes took on their regular non-glowing appearance.

"I think I understand the significance of these memories."

"What are they about?"

"The question is whom. I recognize the woman from one of Oliver Queen's memories, but this is the first time she has appeared. The boy has been there before."

Bart grimaced. That name was the last name he wanted to hear. He'd be happy if he never heard the name Oliver Queen again.

"There are children too. I know Olivia, but the boy is unfamiliar to me. And as they are memories, mere representations, I can't interact with them."

Emil opened the door from his adjoining private office. He had overheard the last part of his conversation. "If you believe they are memories of Olivia's past. Perhaps I could age the faces, see if anything comes up. It would help if we could learn his identity."

"I believe we already know who his is. From his age and association, I believe the boy is Oliver Queen. The woman called him, Ollie."

Bart's face fell, there was no escaping the guy. Now he was probably the only one who could bring Olivia back.

"The memories are moving forward. We can hope that the past will catch up to the present, in the mean time I will continue to try to reach her."

**Ashram Monastery, Ladakh**

Hal waited at a great distance until he saw the last lantern go out. There would be no buffers this time. This time he'd get through to Ollie whether he wanted to listen or not.

Using the ring he scouted each of the huts by x-ray until he found Oliver's quarters. It was little more than a ten-foot cube with small desk and a roll out sleeping mat.

He landed soundlessly and hovered across the floor. He knew from experience how much noise those creaky old boards could make. He kicked at Oliver with the toe of one of his green boots.

Oliver snorted mid snore and rolled onto his stomach. Hal rolled his eyes and kicked him again, a little harder this time.

Oliver rolled and flew into a crouched position, his arms immediately taking a fighting stance. His eyes narrowed, searching the darkness until he recognized Hal's form. "Why are you here?" he asked with a quiet hiss. Dropping his arms, he sat back on his mat and stretched, rolled his shoulders and then craned his neck from side to side. He didn't think he'd ever get used to sleeping on the unyielding ground.

"Here." Hal thrust the picture under his nose. "This is what she looked like before."

Even before he looked down at the photo Hal illuminated with the glow of the ring, Oliver felt a chill run through him at the ominous tone in Hal's voice. He took the picture and glanced at it. While he didn't remember it being taken, he vaguely remembered the occasion. He'd had a lot to drink that night. She looked so happy in the picture, so innocent and full of aspirations. Hal replayed the last transmission he had from Emil revealing Olivia's condition.

"She's still in a coma. We're having extreme difficulty monitoring her condition because of her altered state. If you think the ring can provide any kind of assistance, we'd appreciate the visit."

He showed Oliver a floating image of Olivia. Bart was hovering by her bed and J'onn seemed to be in a trance holding her hand.

Oliver turned his head away sharply at the sight of all the machines, the cuts on her arms, the ghostly pallor of her skin. "She's in good hands now. Thank you for rescuing her."

"Do you know she suffered for you?" Hal growled his voice low. "They wanted to know about the Green Arrow. They cut her up and invaded her mind and still she didn't give in. Don't you want to tell her that she matters? Don't you want to thank her for protecting you?"

Oliver's eyes flew to his and Hal almost faltered in his verbal attack. His eyes were awash with tears but the look there was hard and unrepentant. "You think I don't care? I never asked her to protect me. I'd have preferred she tell them everything. I'm not worth her loyalty. You're supposed to know me, Hal. I'd trade places with her in a heartbeat."

Hal drifted back and rested his shoulders against the wall. "It's too late for wishing now but it's not too late to tell her you care."

"And what good will that do?" Oliver snapped, balling his fists in the light sheet under him.

"It'll give her a reason to fight," Hal reasoned calmly. "The ones that die, the ones that just slip away, it's because nobody asked them to hang on. Nobody gave them a reason to want to come back."

Oliver ran his hands over his scalp, his hair was starting to grow back. He could feel the bristles. "If I go back now, it'll freak her out."

"Does it really matter? I don't think she'd care about that honestly. She doesn't seem like the just appearances kind of girl."

Oliver snorted softly. "No, she isn't. Then again I could wear a fresh ash, not brush my teeth for a week and she'd still smile at me like I'm Michael friggen Buble."

Hal chuckled. "The women dig the songs. It's all the voice."

"Whatever, the point is that she's better off without me around, Hal. It's bad enough that they used her to try to get to me once. The best thing I can do is stay away. For both me and Green Arrow to stay gone."

Hal shook his head. "Fine, if you can live with that?"

Oliver didn't answer but he didn't move to get off his mat either.

"Just remember, the thing about wishing, Ollie. Sometimes you get exactly what you want."

**1996**

Olivia started down the staircase her entire body taut with apprehension. She felt completely overdone. She'd never worn this much make up before, her hair had enough product in it to burn a fresh hole in the ozone and her dress made her feel entirely too exposed. It had a deep scoop in the back. Not low enough to reveal her underwear but low enough that she felt a slight breeze all the way to the small of her back. How her parents had managed to convince her this was a good idea still annoyed her to no end. A must for her young adult experience, they said. A night that marked the end of one phase of her life to the next. "A night to remember," her mom promised. Olivia sighed. Not only was she dressed to the nines, looking like a walking may pole all lean limbs wrapped in yards of billowy fabric with moussed up, voluminous, riot of curly hair but her parents had picked out a date for her. How embarrassing. As if she couldn't find her own. She checked her reflection in the hallway mirror. Her eyes looked as though they were about to spring free from her face. The make up technician had used a curling wand and thick mascara, along with shimmering eyeshadow to emphasize her eyes. They were emphasized all right. She looked like a freak. Her felt her cheeks grow warm and she chewed her lip. Only remembering the dark pink lipstick when the oily metallic taste hit her tongue. Great now she'd stained her teeth. Turning to the mirror again, she forced a wide grin to check. She was sporting lipstick all over the bottom of her four top teeth. Wiping at it with her index finger, she checked again and nodded in assessment. It'd have to do. She definitely wasn't going back into that bathroom again. They'd have to drag her kicking and screaming. The least her mother could have done after strong arming her into accepting all this treatment was to stick around for moral support, but she'd disappeared as soon as the beautician had arrived.

Taking the stairs slowly, she held onto the rail to steady herself. Her platinum colored strapped heels were the highest she'd ever worn. They'd had to buy ones with extra inches because of the length of the column designer gown her father had bought for her. It had a small train and it draped over her legs like a summer breeze. The delicate satin fabric was so wispy, it felt like she was wearing nothing at all. She instinctively hugged her midsection with her free arm, only barely remembering not to bite her lip again. Was it too late to back out now? What excuse could she come up with that would be valid enough to convince them she couldn't attend?

On the second landing, that's when she saw him. He was standing next to her father by the front door. He looked so handsome in his white Armani suit. Obviously, her parents had told him what she was wearing so he could match. She paused for awhile. They hadn't noticed her yet and she wanted a second just to take him in. She hadn't seen him since her sixteenth earlier in the year but instead of time helping her to her forget about him and dull her feelings, just seeing him there all dressed up, devastatingly cool and dashing made her heart race. She'd fallen for him when they were about ten years old and he'd excitedly shown her his secret 'Sherwood' forest, complete with lofty tree-houses, rope ladders, swinging bridges and tire swings. It was a kids dream wonderland. It was the first time he hadn't looked at her with a scowl of disdain at being left with a 'her'. Or perhaps it was because he was stuck at home for the school holidays and none of his friends from boarding school had been able to come with him and she was his only option for company. It turned out to be the best summer of her young life. When she saw him again the next year though, he'd brushed her off for his friend Gregory, who'd been able to spend one week of the summer with him. She was back to being that unwanted family guest or in clarification, a pest. As the years followed and her efforts to disguise her feelings failed miserably, she became an embarrassment to him. His friends teased him mercilessly and Olivia did her best to become invisible. Her hands shook as she took the stairs slowly, counting her breaths so she could get her racing heartbeat under control.

He stood stiffly at her father's side, nodding at something her father said. He looked uncomfortable. He probably didn't want to be here either. Her parents had probably begged him or blackmailed him into being her date. With a last steadying breath, she took the final stair and moved quickly to greet her father. She kissed him lightly and then smiled briefly at her escort.

"I guess the sooner I get going, the sooner this torture experience can end, right?" she joked lightly, sparing a glance at Oliver.

Oliver seemed dazed. He was looking at her blankly, his eyes fixed on her face but not really seeing.

"Ollie?" she queried softly.

He blinked and offered his arm quickly. "Ready?"

"Wait," her mother called rushing down the corridor toward them. She had a camera in hand. "You can't go without a photo."

Olivia stooped her foot, her fingers squeezing her clutch tighter. "They're going to do the mug shots at the Prom, Mom. Do we really have to do this twice?"

Her mother scowled disapprovingly at her. "Indulge me okay?"

"I thought I was already," Olivia muttered quietly.

Oliver must have heard because his lips quirked into a small grin and she watched him suppress a snort of laughter. So she wasn't the only one who thought this whole thing was just a way for teens to parade around trying to out do each other. And for the popular kids to pick on the outcasts for not being fashionable or for being single.

"If it helps any, I'll try to make this as painless as possible."

Olivia gave him a beaming smile and felt her cheeks grow warm at the dazzling smile he gave her in return.

"Liv," her father said.

When she turned in the direction of her father's voice, a flash went off and she blinked trying to combat the shock her eyes had just endured. "Thanks, Dad," she said with sigh.

Her mother knew how much she hated posing, so obviously had roped her father in an effort of misdirection. Her mom had the camera back now and was looking at the snap. "Okay, now one of the both of you and I'll let you go. Smile."

Olivia put the requested smile on her face and said through her teeth. "Already did that too."

Oliver chuckled and took her hand, squeezing it. The flash went off again and he ushered her in the direction of the door. They were about to leave when her father took her elbow.

"Try to have a little fun, okay honey. And curfews off, just for tonight," he said with a wink.

Olivia rolled her eyes. Why her parents even bothered with a curfew was laughable. She was always home for dinner, her mom had her on a strict diet and would have a minor meltdown if she even put a foot into a take-out restaurant. "I won't be late, Dad. This isn't my idea of fun remember."

"See that's why I asked Ollie to take you. At least I know one of you knows how to act your age."

Olivia spared him a withering look. Her father had just managed to insult both of them in one sentence. She quickly kissed the both and waved to both of them when she reached the passenger side of the car.

"Have a good time, sweetie," her mom said waving after them.

Arriving at the hotel, they did the required posing for the yearbook photos and keepsake albums in the lobby before heading inside. They were among the late arrivals. Most of the students were already in the ballroom, with the festivities well underway. As soon as the walked through the ballroom doors, she felt the mood shift. The music didn't stop playing but there was a ripple of surprised gasps and as soon as a sea of eyes turned in their direction, Olivia wished she'd runaway yesterday and returned on Monday in time for school. Screw the panic it would have caused her parents and the search party the would have mounted. Nothing was worth this attention.

"Smile and wave, Liv. Just smile and wave," Oliver prompted with a grin.

Olivia elbowed him and swallowed tightly. She waved briefly and then tugged him in the direction of the drinks table. She suddenly felt as though she could drink a gallon and still be thirsty. Pouring a cup of punch, she gulped it down and set the cup on the table, steadying her nerves. "What do they have on you?" she asked quickly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his eyebrow raised in confusion.

"To accompany me. What did they have over you?"

Oliver's lips pulled into a tight line. "So I didn't think to ask you. Doesn't mean I don't want to be here."

Olivia folded her arms over her chest. "Oh come on Ollie, even I don't want to be here. This isn't exactly the type of thing you go for. And since when have we ever gone anywhere alone together? All through high school you couldn't stand to be within ten feet of me."

Oliver looked away and said nothing. Olivia just nodded mutely, his silence spoke volumes.

"Oliver, is that you?" a feminine squeal happily announced.

Olivia felt a shiver snake down her spine at the girl approaching. It was Genny Taylor. She'd dated Oliver last year for a couple of weeks. The girl was dressed in a red dress with a heart shaped neckline that displayed her ample cleavage to distraction. Her blonde hair seemed to shimmer like running water under the flickering disco ball lights but it made her pale skin and crimson lips look a little scary. If it weren't for the red hue, she could have pulled off a Mortisha impersonation.

"I think I'm entitled to at least one dance with you, don't you think?" she said practically purring as she cosied up to Oliver's side, locking her arms around his waist.

To his credit, Oliver looked a little uncomfortable. Maybe it was the fact that he didn't want her make-up to stain his suit. "I'm with someone, Genny."

"Who, Olivia?" she eyed Olivia up and down dismissively. Then she smiled up at Oliver and gave him doe-eyes. "I'm sure she won't mind, babe."

Olivia was sure she threw up a little in her mouth. She reached for her cup and refilled it with punch. Taking a sip, she lowered it again and waved him away offhandedly. "Go on Ollie. It's not like I'm here to dance. Besides it will make the lie more convincing when I tell them that there was definitely dancing. I don't have to add that we weren't dancing together." Genny didn't need to be told twice. She headed to the dance floor with Oliver in tow.

Olivia took her drink and went in search of her friends. At least she'd be able to kill time talking to people who were actually interested in what went on in her head. Two of her closest girlfriends had come to Prom together and were currently sitting at a table watching the almost unbelievable antics of their classmates on the dance floor. Joking around and sharing Prom preparation horrors, she found she was actually enjoying herself. Before she knew it, an hour had passed and there had been no sigh of Oliver. Not that she'd looked once she'd seen what Genny constituted as dancing. Watching the girl plastered herself up Oliver's front, while using him as a dance pole in-front of the entire student body, wasn't exactly her idea of fun.

It was past nine. If they did a drive thru run which she was sure Oliver would appreciate considering his taste for red meat, they'd get back by ten. A pretty decent night out in her opinion. Olivia stood up and craned her neck. She couldn't see him anywhere. Scanning the crowded dance floor again, she spotted Genny with the football team's second string quarterback, but Oliver was nowhere in sight. Saying goodnight to Fran and Heather, she went in search of him.

On her way through the ballroom, she spotted a white suited figure duck out of the frosted glass double doors. Lifting her skirt, she hurried after him as fast as her heeled feet would safely carry her. She exited the doors and searched for him but she couldn't see a single white suited man in the lobby.

A hand touched her shoulder and she turned around. An African American man with glowing red eyes stood watching her expectantly. She stared back, slightly opened mouthed. "Who--who are you?" she asked slightly breathless. Something about him felt familiar. She should be frightened, considering his close proximity and the unnatural state of his eyes but she wasn't afraid. He put her in a strange sort of calm. When he held out his hand, she felt herself raising hers to reach for his. She watched their fingertips grow closer.

"Olivia?"

Olivia turned at the sound of his voice. She watched as he stalked toward her, his face twisted with anger. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize how long I'd stayed with them and..."

"You left we with her. Here I thought you were this really sweet girl. Mommy and daddy's little miss perfect. I thought, no way Olivia leave me Genny, she wouldn't be that cruel, but no, you do this disappearing act and I'm stuck trying to get her claws out of me for an hour!"

Olivia glanced behind her but didn't see the mysterious, unsettling stranger that up until a second ago was standing right behind her. To say Oliver was less than impressed would be an understatement. He was positively livid. "I thought you liked her," Olivia argued defensively as he reached her side and caught her arm in a tight hold. "You guys had a thing."

"That was before I'd spent five minutes with her. I spent the rest of the time trying to get away. Sure she's not bad on the eyes but she's got serious issues."

Olivia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. As if his other girlfriends had been all that different. Either he really didn't seem them coming or he was a masochist. "I didn't think you were the type that needed rescuing from anything."

Oliver hissed and pushed her up against the wall, trapping her there, his hands around her upper arms. "You're so completely clueless aren't you?" he said his face looming very close to hers. Olivia trembled and he smiled at that. "You should be scared. What were they thinking letting you out like this? Do you have any idea what they're saying about you? That you're a cock tease. That you try to be this proper nerdy girl but that underneath you want it just as bad as every other cheerleader and pop princess around. They think you've been blowing them off because you're holding out for a rich bastard. Is that it Liv? Are you above them?"

Olivia blinked rapidly and swallowed, where was all this coming from? Did he just forget how old she was? She was sixteen. Of course most of the guys didn't even take a second glance at her while roaming the halls, she wore baggy sweaters to hide her rapidly 'blossoming' feminine body and faded jeans. The fact that she was still a virgin came from the fact that she wasn't all that interested in the males in her circle and none of them had shown much interest in her. She hated the fact that her bust caused male distraction. They were hardly playboy worthy but more than noticeable. It's why she'd almost cried off even going to Prom when her parents had proudly produced her gown. Instead of down playing her figure, it flaunted it in every way this side of appropriately legal. Somehow, between arriving to pick her up and leaving Genny, Oliver had managed to find an abundant source of alcohol. It was the only explanation she had to explain the dramatic shift in his attitude. He'd been fine when she left him, civil and polite. He'd never spoke to her this way before. She leaned a little closer. His breath smelled like a brewery. "Have you been drinking?"

Oliver smiled darkly at her again. His lips brushing her cheek when she turned her head sharply to deflect what his obviously target was. "So what if I have?"

She knew she was living dangerously but she had to act quickly. There was no telling what Oliver would get up to whilst intoxicated. He tended to be wildly unpredictable while sober. Putting her hands into his trouser pockets she closed her fist around his keys.

"See I knew you weren't over it. You played it so cool at your party, barely talking to me I thought I'd actually missed my chance. You've certainly turned into the swan I always knew you would be."

Olivia withdrew her hands just as quickly as though he'd burned her and tucked his keys into the bodice of her gown. His eyes followed her actions and he grinned wolfishly at her. His fingers clamping down on her hips anchoring her to him.

"Do I get to go fetch?"

Olivia gave him a withering look. "The way I see it, you let me drive you home or you take a cab. I'm not letting you drive. I'm leaving now by the way, so you're off the hook. You can spend the rest of the night however you want." She brushed past him.

"Oh no you don't." Oliver grabbed her arm and yanked her flush against his chest. His eyes bored into hers. "You promised to have fun and I didn't see you having any yet. Some of the guys have set up a poker game upstairs. I'm gonna join, you want in?"

Olivia's eyes widened. Unlicensed games were illegal. Not to mention the fact they were underage.

He half smirked at her internal battle and released her with a small shove. "Come or don't come, your loss." He shrugged and put his hands in his trouser pockets. "Although I would like to see you explain how you're home early without me." He scowled suddenly. "Daddy dearest will think I ditched you, and we can't have that so I guess that means you're coming with." He caught her arm again and tugged her along in the direction of the bank of elevators.

He was being such an arrogant jerk that Olivia felt like putting her heel in his foot if only just to put a bit of clarity into his drunken stupor. Instead, she clenched her fist at her sides and waited wordlessly as he pushed the call button for the elevator. Her parents were always on her case about taking more risks, acting more like an average teenager. Get her nose out of her books and live a little. Well playing babysitter to her childhood play-friend was definitely risky, some might even question her sanity. At least she could argue that she was only following sage parental advice. As his grip on her arm gentled and they stepped into the car, she hazarded a glance at him. His eyes locked with hers for a brief moment he seemed more like his cautious and distant self. He suddenly released his hold on her and diverted his attention to the ascending numbers. Obviously he wasn't drunk enough to remember that he didn't like her very much.


	11. Bringing Her Back

**Chapter 11**

**1996**

Olivia stared at the patterned carpet while Oliver knocked on the stained wood door. The golden handle pulled down and the door swung open.

"Man, you made it." Joel beamed and then frowned when his eyes fell on Olivia. "Ah, no chicks, Oliver. Kills the buzz."

Joel was a very easy going guy. Almost nothing phased him including class bells, project deadlines and detention. She wondered what his grade-point average was with his barely there attendance.

Oliver smirked and patted him on the shoulder. "Considering this was a no stakes poker game before I sweetened the pot, I make the rules. Liv stays."

Joel shrugged and swung the door wide. "You're the boss."

When Olivia stood stiffly in the hallway, Oliver grabbed her wrist and dragged her inside after him. "If I have to force a little fun down you throat to get you to lighten up, I will," he said through his teeth, hissing into her ear.

His warm breath tickled her neck and when he released his hold on her, she rubbed the spot absently. She eyed the poker table set up in the middle of the room with nervous apprehension. There were six chairs. Two of them were already filled. She knew the guys. Trent was in her English Lit class, he was a nice enough guy, mostly kept to himself. Obviously this was one side of him, she would never have imagined about him. Then she thought a lot of people would probably surprise her, if she'd put much attention to studying everyone around her. School was mostly a means to an end. She was working toward a goal, high school was just a pit stop. She wasn't surprised to find Angus at the table. He was addicted to money, he tried turning a profit on just about anything he could get his hands on. He even sold his home-made lunch in the cafeteria. He didn't even have to have a sure thing. His philosophy was that you had to be in it to win it. She smiled at him when he waved and nodded at her with a conspiratorial wink. He probably thought he could clean Ollie out. She sucked in a breath. Oliver was like a shark when he wanted to be. These guys were guppies. A little blood in the water and it'd be all over before they could ask for a lifeline.

Joel clapped his hands together and nudged Ollie with his elbow as he passed by. "Well we said 9.30. P.M. That's come and gone. I guess this is it."

Nate came out of the bathroom and leaned in the archway. "Hey Olivia."

Olivia stiffened. How did this kind of thing happen to her? Out of all the guys who never gave her a second glance, the one who had just happened to be in the same room right now. After years of pining for a certain blond and getting ignored or brushed off, she'd let herself get swept up by this roguish, dark-haired, handsome bulk of a young man. She felt a tell tale blush of embarrassment flame across her cheeks. While he was all flattery and occasionally handsy, she'd brushed it off as some social prank or an amusement on his part. He'd never actually pursued her or asked her on a date. He'd just pop up now and again and poke her or sideways hug her or tell her she was pretty. It was nice. Nate was as tall as Oliver but built like a truck. He was a solid wall of masculine muscle. She knew despite what some of the student body believed that most of it came down to good genes. His father and mother weren't small people. His father was in his fifties and could still wrestle a third of the football team.

Olivia smiled nervously at him and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Hi Nate. Didn't see you downstairs. Skip out early?"

Nate rested his arm easily across her shoulders, his hand hovering dangerously close to the top of her left breast. "Not a party without you, beautiful. Didn't think you were coming."

Olivia avoided his gaze, sometimes it seemed like he stared at her a little too long, a little bit expectant. It wasn't something she was ready to acknowledge or explore. Maybe never.

"First round buy in's a drink," Joel said dropping a large bottle of Jack Daniel's in the middle of the table. "Just to keep things interesting," he said with a chuckle.

That laugh made Olivia shiver and her eyes never left that bottle. Where did these guys get their alcohol from? From Nate's laugh, she realized she must have said that aloud.

"Don't your parents drink?"

Olivia looked up at him, his arm hadn't moved from her shoulders and she swore that for a split second his fingers had actually slipped under the fabric in her scoop neckline. She took his wrist and slipped out from under his hold, covering her annoyance at his brash behavior with a small smile. "My mom doesn't drink, but I think my dad probably has a stash in his den. His colleagues like to drink expensive liquor after work."

"Sounds like my kind of scene," Joel said with a grin as he dropped into a chair, stretching out his legs and seemingly sliding deeper into a chair that she thought was meant only to support someone seated fully upright.

Oliver kicked his chair around and straddled it, slapping his palms down on the table. "Who's dealing?"

Nate waved his hand and announced, "We flipped, first round is me." Oliver looked back. It seemed like he'd forgotten she was there for a while because now noticing her close proximity Nate, his expression seemed to darken.

"Olivia, sit down," he said in a no-nonsense tone. He pulled out the chair next to him.

Olivia moved away from Nate, her small train swishing along the carpet. She sat down in the chair he'd indicated and set her clutch in her lap. Arranging her skirt around her ankles so it was out of the way from trampling or catching on anything, she folded her hands on the table. "So what are the rules?"

Every face now at the table seemed to widen with glee. Olivia fought the urge to roll her eyes. She tried to ignore the dollar signs the seemed to be counting. She opened her purse and pulled out a fifty. "It's all I have on me right now."

Nate laughed and Joel set a glass right side up in-front of her. "That's not how it works, babe. One drink, you get ten chips. Pay outs at the end."

Olivia frowned. "What are we playing for then? To see who passes out from intoxication first?" Trent snorted at her comment and looked up. Olivia had to glance away when she saw his eyes, they already looked a little bloodshot. Obviously he'd started his party early.

Oliver pulled the cards out of the box and flicked through them once before dropping the deck in-front of Nate who sat on the other side of Olivia. "The richest gets to choose our destination. I'm taking the yacht out after graduation."

Olivia chewed her lip and nodded. That was one party she would gladly miss. She'd never had great sea legs, that and her summer study program started in a month. She would be missing graduation too. She had enough credits to graduate already even though there was another six weeks left in the year. The graduation ceremony was no big deal. Her parents would just have to keep their parental celebrating for her college graduation. The already seemed to accept the fact long ago that she didn't conform to the norm. And when it came to learning, they fed her brain with anything that she showed more than a passing interest in. From languages to music and art.

She knew what she was going to be doing to her braincells even as the brownish liquid sloshed into her glass. All eyes were on her movements as she picked it up and chugged it down before her tongue could protest her actions. It didn't matter the taste was vile and the alcohol scorched her throat. Tears smarted in her eyes and she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. As she took her hand away she saw a cotton candy pink smudge on it. Fabulous, there went her lipstick.

Oliver beamed at her. "You didn't even choke or cough or anything. Liv, you're my hero. Are you sure you've never had a drink before?" he asked his eyes narrowing has he leaned closer to her.

Olivia swallowed again trying to get the taste out of her mouth. Ten chips appeared next to her hands and she rearranged them into a neat pile. "Ollie, if I started drinking when you did, it'd be dead by now. Debilitating headaches, remember?"

Oliver paled. He must have forgotten about that because now he just looked guilty. Suddenly he straightened. "You're not playing."

"What?" Olivia hissed indignantly. She'd just forced herself to drink what she constituted as poison and he was pulling her out of the game now. "I have chips. Until I blow them, I'm in."

Oliver's leg bounced under the table and he scratched the back of his head while pouring a drink with the other hand and downing it in a similar manner to what she had. "Okay, fine but no more for you," he argued pointing at the bottle.

"Right," she said with a nod. "Now, I'd like to sit out the first two hands to get the hang of things."

Trent eyed her with a hint of animosity. "Why do I get the feeling that she's being serious?"

Oliver grinned. "She's a fast learner."

"Yeah, and it's really annoying," Trent said through his teeth.

Olivia squirmed a little. She didn't consider herself to be a show off. In fact she tried very hard to stay out of the spotlight. It wasn't her fault their English teacher seemed to pick her out every time when making a point about what the students should be capable of. Technically she was far from average and she should have protested at being used as a benchmark but she preferred people try to challenge themselves. If she hadn't pushed herself she wouldn't be in the twelfth grade instead of the ninth along with her peers. Why shouldn't they want more from themselves too?

The first two rounds went quickly, there was more drinking. Trent was starting to look a little green. Probably regretting drinking before the game now. Olivia picked up her cards. The boys were being a little bit more conservative with their chips now. The buy in was only five. She tossed her five in the pot and shuffled her cards.

Oliver nudged her with his arm. "I already know your cards aren't great. You want to stay in, fold now."

Olivia glared at him. "How do you know? I like my hand just fine."

Oliver laughed. "You haven't got a poker face, Liv. I pretty much figured your hand was crap the second you saw them."

Olivia stuck out her tongue and dropped her cards on the table. "We'll see." She discarded two and waited while Angus dealt her two fresh cards. Picking up her hand again, it was slightly better, but nothing great.

Joel folded. Nate drummed his fingers on the table and Trent suddenly jumped up from his chair and ran to the nearest potted plant. Where he promptly threw up.

Olivia put her hand to her throat to calm her gag reflex. She could smell him from across the room. She hoped the hotel didn't have fixed windows.

"Hey Trent, since you're out, mind opening a window?" Nate teased.

"But I'm not... it wasn't my fault," he pleaded with a long face.

Joel chuckled and waved him off. "You leave the table, you leave the game. Not my rules man. Puke on the floor if you have too."

Olivia winced. She really hoped the night wouldn't come to that. Glancing at the rest of the guys at the table, Oliver looked the calmest. There wasn't any noticeable tell about his posture or his expression.

Joel pushed his whole stack of chips to the middle of the table. "I'm in."

Oliver shuffled his five chips. Nate has won the first round, Joel had the second, so he'd had to have two more drinks to stay in the game. Olivia wanted to call it a night before he disappeared under the table or joined Trent who was now moaning on the bed with his arm over his eyes. He tossed his five on the pile and looked at Olivia. She shrugged and never took her eyes off his. Pushing her chips into the pile. She heard Nate threw a few chips in, followed by Angus. No one had pulled out. At least not voluntarily.

"Okay then," Joel said with a smirk in his voice. "Full house, right here, baby." He clapped his hands together. It wasn't the highest they'd had tonight, so Olivia wasn't sure why he was so smug already.

Oliver tossed his cards down. He only had a two pair.

She was next. She put her cards on the table and there was a collective string of curses. She blinked. Considering they'd all seemed so confident, she was sure this would be her first and last round. Straight flush.

Nate had a full house that would have beaten Joel hand and Angus had a four of a kind.

Olivia sat back in her chair in shock.

"Not badly played," Oliver said with the hint of a smile. He poured himself another drink.

Nate racked the winning pot to her spot on the table and dropped the cards in front of Joel to shuffle.

Grabbing the drink from the middle of the table before any of them could protest, she made a dash to the bathroom and dumped it down the sink before they could stop her. Considering she had just cleaned them all out, her plan was to split her chips among them and give them the rest of the night to sober up a little without killing off more of their braincells.

Nate had her pinned to the wall by the neck before the bottle had even finished gurgling. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Obviously she should have thought her plan through a little better and perhaps even made it a suggestion first. Nate seemed to be more than a little protective over his alcohol.

Oliver was on his back trying to pull him off, while Joel stood in the doorway swearing like a trooper.

Olivia bet against his chest trying to get him to let go. She stared at him, he had a wild look in his eyes. He showed no sign of relenting and she could feel her lungs begin to burn from lack of oxygen. She started to see black spots. Her face was getting hot from the blood pooling in her head and she tried pry his fingers away but she couldn't. She heard Ollie yelling but she couldn't really make out the words anymore, there was a roaring sound in her ears. The room began to swim before her eyes. The hand on her neck looseness and she slid down the wall in a heap. The room spun and she couldn't focus but vaguely registered that it was Nate on the floor at her feet. He wasn't moving. Oliver kicked him and she flinched.

"Get out," he yelled. When nobody moved, he stalked to the door and yanked it open.

Joel straightened and waved at the table. "My stuff is..."

"Get it and get out," Oliver said through his teeth.

Angus glared at him, his chin held high. He was a good four inches shorter than Oliver but that didn't seem to bother him. "I paid for the room."

Oliver dug out his wallet and pressed a hundred dollar bill into his hand. "Take your garbage with you," he seethed, kicking at Nate's shoe.

Joel snapped his gaming briefcase shut and helped Trent off the bed. Angus picked up Nate's ankles and dragged him out of the bathroom and out the door. When the door slammed shut behind them, Olivia flinched again.

She couldn't move from her spot on the floor. Everything that had just happened seemed too surreal.

Oliver appeared in front of her. He looked concerned. His hands came up slightly. It looked as though he wanted to touch her neck but he pulled back at the last second. He looked away and Olivia wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her. It looked like he was about to cry.

Her head lolled on her shoulders. She didn't have the strength to do anything but keep semi upright by leaning against the wall.

"Sorry," he said numbly. He couldn't bring himself to look at her. "Your dad's gonna kill me."

A bubble of laughter escaped her throat and it put her off balance, she could feel the wall sliding at her back. The chuckle came out as an undignified snort. She closed her eyes, the blotchy dancing spots were giving her a headache. She expected for her head to finally connect with the floor but it never did.

She felt his hands on her shoulders steadying her and then she was up and floating. Well it felt as though she were floating. Air was moving around her, her long skirt swishing around her feet as they moved. Then plush softness enveloped her back. He'd put her on the bed she noted tiredly. There was as dip in the mattress and rustling. He must be next to her.

She curled to her side and found her legs meeting his long lithe ones. Eyes still firmly closed, she ran her hand up over his shirt. He'd shed the jacket after the first round of cards. The first two buttons of his linen shirt were open. He hadn't worn a tie and Olivia thought it had made him look very sexy. Most of the boys at Prom had gone for black tuxes and bow-ties. He'd stood out in white. Then again, to her, Oliver had always stood out in the crowd. He always would.

He put a hand on her wrist and for a second she thought that he might stop her gentle exploration of his chest. He didn't. He ran his hand down her arm to the gaping hole in the back of her dress. The rough skin of his fingers on her smooth bare back, sent shivers of excitement down her spine. She felt her body respond to his touch, nerve endings exploding with tiny fireworks all over her body. His mouth was close, she could feel his warm breath on her face. For some reason he didn't smell as strongly as he had before. There as a mild cinnamon odor. Gum. This close she could hear him chewing. When had he started chewing gum? She hadn't even seen him unwrap a piece.

He kissed her lightly at first. His lips barely brushing hers. She froze at the sensations washing over her. Her whole body trembled like a live-wire. Her chest heaved against her bodice. She had to remind herself to breathe. His tongue swept across her bottom lip and she curled her fists in his collar, pulling him closer. She opened her mouth and he delved in, kissing her harder and stroking her tongue with his. On him, the cinnamon and Jack didn't taste as bad. She kissed him back with everything she had. If this was all alcohol induced on his part, it meant that underneath it all, without pretense and his friends to mock him, he actually was attracted to her. She could take what she could get. Even if the rational side of her told her it was so many levels of wrong.

Oliver leaned over her, his lower body pushing her further into the mattress. She could feel his arousal against her stomach. The knowledge that she did that made her body flame and pulse. Her stomach was in knots and she felt herself buckling against him shamelessly.

Things got hazy after that. Her brain had trouble processing anything at all but the sensations coursing through her body. And even that was running away from her. She registered mildly that the room was pretty loud, with heavy breathing and moaning. After a second, she realized it was her making those sounds. Heat flooded her face and her eyes flew open.

Oliver's blond head was currently nuzzling her chest. Her dress was bunched somewhere around her waist and he'd lost his shirt. His lips where currently attached to her body but his hands where working his belt. Alarm bells blared in her head.

"Wait," she said pushing against his head lightly.

He looked up at her, his eyes dark and smokey. His brow furrowed in confusion, and his hands fell away from his pants. His gaze traveled downward again and instead of asking her what she wanted, he moved to dip his head.

Olivia wriggled and managed to dislodge him by bucking him to the side. He seemed to take that as extra encouragement, because his hands moved down her hips gathering up the yards of material to expose her thighs. He was up and above her again before she could even sit up.

His hands on her legs made her shiver. She lost her focus again and almost forgot why she'd tried to stop him in the first place. His deft fingers found a way around her panties and she gasped as they probed her center. Her eyes slid shut against the sight of his head bent over her stomach. He was unrelenting and entirely to good at what he was doing. He knew exactly where to touch and how to move. She was panting heavily and sweat along with a lot more she didn't want to really think about were leaking out of every pore she had. He didn't seem to mind in the slightest. She forced her eyes open and stared at him. He'd lost the belt now and he was shoving his pants and boxers down his legs. He was wriggling out of them. The sight of him naked gave her another moments clarity and she launched herself into a sitting position and crawled back against the headboard.

"We need to just..." Her breath caught.

He looked like he was about to pounce on her again. She put a stilling hand on his chest. One of them had to think rationally. While she wanted this to happen, she wasn't about to be reckless.

"Hold up a second okay." She didn't wait for him to try to distract her again. She scooted to the edge of the bed, nearly tripping over her dress as she tried to get up.

"Come on Rach, don't play hard to get now." Oliver fell back on the bed and reached out to her with one arm. When she moved away, he let if flop against the covers and moaned.

Olivia was so focused on her goal she wasn't really listening to him. She knew he'd left his jacket on his chair but she couldn't see it there now. She moved away from the bed and ducked under the table. His jacket was on the floor. Snagging it, she searched his pockets. In the inside chest pocket she found what she was looking for. Triumphantly, she crawled out from under the table, small silver foil packet in hand. To find Oliver passed out on the bed, as naked as the day he was born.

Arms dropping to her sides, Olivia sat down on the bed next to him and waited. It wasn't till she heard light snoring that she realized the moment was over. It was probably for the best. She wouldn't want him being any more awkward around her than he already was. With a sigh, she got to her knees and pulled his boxers up his legs till they were back where they were supposed to be. Now that he was halfway decent, her brain seemed to come online again. She started to feel horrible for taking advantage of him. Never in his sound mind would he have ever made a pass at her let alone sleep with her. Chewing her lip to keep the tears at bay, she found his belt and began redressing him as fast as she could. She wet a hand towel in the bathroom and cleaned herself up. Rising it out, she wiped his hand. Throwing the towel in the sink, she went back to find him sprawled on his front.

The best way she could make sure that neither of them remembered this was if he woke up at home. She would drive him home. It wasn't easy lugging a guy who was only semi-conscious down a long corridor, into an elevator and across a lobby. Thankfully from there, a bell boy had helped her while the valet got his car.

Once she got him home, Nona and Hackett had helped him upstairs and put him to bed. Hackett had offered to drive her home, but she told him she didn't want to be a bother. It was really late now. Hackett was polite enough and he'd been with Ollie a long time. Robert Queen had hired him as a bodyguard and a chauffeur when Oliver had started school. But there was something about him that gave Olivia a bad vibe. It wasn't that his smile was forced, it was something in the way that he watched Oliver sometimes that made her nervous.

Olivia took a taxi home and climbed the stairs, stopping at the door to her parents room. She wanted to let them know that she was home safe. Their room was dark and she could just make out their shapes in the darkness. "I'm home. You're right. I did have a good time." Quietly, she closed the door and walked down the hall to her own room.

Olivia drank a sports drink and brushed her teeth before going to bed. She heard that you could help avoid a hangover by staying hydrated. She'd only had one drink but considering she'd never consumed alcohol, she didn't want to chance it.

Turning off the bathroom light, she made her way to her bed in the darkness. A hand touched her arm and she was sure she leaped at least three feet into the air. She gasped and threw out her leg to kick her attacker but he'd disappeared.

"I won't harm you."

His voice. He had a calming voice, a deep tenor, so familiar but she couldn't place it at all. She turned slowly. He was standing by her mirror, his eyes glowed red in the darkness.

"What do you want from me?" she whispered wanting to run but not daring to move.

"You need to wake up, Olivia."

Olivia felt her forehead crease, her head started to pound. She could feel the beginnings of a migraine. "I'm tired. Please, I don't know who you are and if you don't leave right now, I'm going to scream the whole neighborhood awake."

"This is just a memory. You need to come back to the real world. You need to wake up."

He moved closer to where she stood and Olivia fought to keep her heart from racing. Olivia instinctively moved a step back with each step he took closer.

He finally stopped and just reached for her but didn't touch her. "Look in the mirror."

Olivia wondered what he was on about and was almost too paralyzed with fear to chance looking way from his face, but something urged her to look at the mirror. It was an intricately carved wood frame, full length, antique mirror that had once belonged to her grandmother.

What she saw chilled her to the core. She was in a hospital gown, there were long cuts on her arms and her face looked ghostly pale. She started to tremble.

"If you don't wake up, you can't begin to heal. Just take my hand. I will not harm you."

Olivia felt goosebumps all over her skin. She suddenly felt so cold. It was as though all the heat in the room had been sucked out. In the mirror, she could see herself lifting her hand to her face. It wasn't just a reflection anymore. She could feel the tubing on her face and she could see the catheter in her own hand. "What's happening to me."

"Just take my hand."

Wordlessly, working against the fear that threatened to make her heart explode in her chest, she reached out and took his hand.

**Present day**

Olivia lurched on the bed and her whole body started to convulse. Alarms sounded and her eyes flew open. She sucked in air and her gaze immediately flew to the hand she had grasped firmly in hers. He seemed to phase right before her eyes.

"I think it would be easier for you to accept if I appeared like this," J'onn said phasing the human form he had chosen for himself.

Looking at his face, hearing his name from her dreams, his voice and his hand in hers, she finally realized exactly who he was. "You're J'onzz." He was the one who'd lead her on the metahuman and the meteor infected trail. He was the one who'd warned her that someone was watching. She felt tears in her eyes. "Thank you, J'onn J'onzz."

Her hand itched and she put pressure on the insertion point and pulled the catheter out. Turning her head, she realize there was someone hovering to her left. She smiled widely when she saw Bart.

Bart grabbed the control and lifted the pod. It seemed to take the stupid machine forever to lift out of the way. The second there was enough room he hauled her into his arms and buried his face in her neck.

"Hey, I'm okay," she whispered soothingly. She brushed her fingers through his unruly hair and then returned his embrace just as enthusiastically. "Not that I don't love the welcome, but why was I out in the first place? And how did I get so banged up, I didn't get mugged or something did I?"

Bart pulled back suddenly and threw an anxious glance at J'onn. J'onn's eyes narrowed then flashed red for a moment.

"She doesn't remember," he whispered his voice laced with anguish.

Bart turned back to look at Olivia, she was eying him speculatively.

"Don't remember what?"

Emil, who had returned with Olivia's parents, shot J'onn and Bart cautionary looks.

"Oh thank God. Olivia."

She was taken into her mother's crushing embrace and was soon joined by her father. Locked in a three way hug she could feel a painful pinching sensation in her arms and legs. "Ouch," she said mildly.

Everyone immediately gave her breathing room but hovered close by.

Emil checked her dressings. "The cuts are shallow. I put a special gel on the wounds to help the healing process. Hopefully there will be minimal to no scaring," he said with a gentle smile.

She liked this doctor already. "I'm I supposed to be starving?" she asked, her cheeks dimpling as she smiled.

"Completely acceptable," Emil said quickly. "But I'd suggest you take it slow, a liquid diet for a couple of days. You've been out for awhile." He didn't want to elaborate. "Do you mind if I borrow your parents for a few minutes."

"No, go ahead." Olivia could tell it was code for he wanted to talk to them without her hearing but she couldn't bring herself to be all that concerned. She was headache free for the moment and she was awake, which considering what J'onn had told her in her mind was a very good thing.

'How do you do that by the way?' she asked him mentally.

J'onn smiled. 'It's a gift that all my kind share. Does it frighten you?'

'Your kind?' she wondered.

'I am a Martian. The last of my kind.'

'I'm sorry to hear that J'onn.'

"Hey guys, I know you're having a conversation but mind remembering that not all of us are included here," Bart said petulantly.

Olivia smiled and J'onn laughed. "We are just getting acquainted, Bartholomew."

" Bartholomew, I think I like it," Olivia said her eyes dancing with silent laughter.

Bart huffed but his face wasn't scowling for long, he hugged her tight again. "If you weren't hooked up to so many machines I'd spin you."

Olivia laughed and swatted him playfully. When he let her go, she self consciously touched her neck. She had phantom pains from where Nate had tried to squeeze the life out of her. She swallowed reflectively, testing her throat. It's only in your mind, she said to remind herself.

"Did he apologize for his behavior?" J'onn asked.

Olivia glanced at him in embarrassment. She was surprised that she hadn't made the connection before now. He'd been in her mind, he'd seen those memories. She blushed fiercely.

J'onn cursed himself silently for his foolish question. In his concern for her present distress, he'd completely over looked the notion that these memories were extremely private. Ordinarily he didn't allow himself to probe someone's mind so freely. These had been extenuating circumstances. 'I am sorry to have caused you discomfort. I assure you I do my best to ignore conscious thoughts of those around me, but it's very difficult without deep meditation. The human mind is very loud. Yours however, you have been able to shield yourself before. I will never again invade your thoughts without your permission. I did it only because we had no other alternative.'

"It's okay, J'onn." Olivia folded her hands in her lap. "It's actually a bit liberating to have someone know what happened. I never talked about it."

J'onn raised an eyebrow. "Not even with Oliver?"

Olivia laughed nervously. "Oliver? Oh no, he doesn't even remember that day really. I think I underestimated just how much he had to drink. He's never mentioned it and I never brought it up. I actually left the day after. I left early for my study program in Sicily. We didn't meet up again until years later. You know he disappeared for two years, right?"

Most people were aware of Oliver Queen's dramatic disappearance and his miraculous return. Her martian friend didn't seem like the tabloid type but it had been world news for the first few weeks he'd resurfaced.

"I'm lucky I wasn't one of those who actually went on that sailing trip. Oliver was the only one who survived. In a matter of speaking. He was different when he came back. A little more focused and a lot less prodigal. My father certainly appreciated the change."

Bart sat silently listening to the exchange. He'd always been curious as to how deep this connection between Olivia and Oliver went, now it seemed that his curiosity was going to be the death of him. He was aching to know if he had a good reason to pummel his old boss. He'd obviously hurt her in some manner and Olivia had brushed it off. She was too forgiving like that.

Olivia looked at Bart and patted his hand. "Don't look so tense."

J'onn chuckled quietly. "Bart wants you to give him a reason to hunt Oliver down."

Olivia's eyes widened. "Oh it wasn't Ollie. There was a guy in high school he... well if it weren't for Oliver I probably would have been another teen party gone wrong statistic."

Bart squeezed his hands into fists. "What's his name?"

Olivia sighed. "As much as I really appreciate the gesture Bart, Nate died a long time ago. He was on that yacht."

Bart deflated and suddenly brightened. "We haven't told them she's awake," he beamed brightly. At J'onn's quick warning frown he'd realized he'd put his foot in his mouth again. He really wasn't that great at this secret identity thing yet.

Olivia asked who he was referring to but Bart was saved from answering by Emil and Olivia's parents returning. They all wore varying expressions. Her father looked deeply pensive, her mother looked anxious and Emil looked troubled.

"Could you all give me a moment with my daughter alone?" Hannah asked. The men all nodded and quietly filed out of the room.

Bart excused himself and waved at Olivia through the window. "Tell her I'll drop by later. Gotta go to work."

"Sure," Richard said. "Oh Bart," he grabbed his arm before the young man could leave. "Emil had told me that Olivia doesn't remember anything that happened to her. I would like to keep it that way."

While Bart understood why he'd want that, he was also a realist when it came to this kind of thing. "And what happens when she remembers?"

Richard sighed and let his arm go. "I don't know," he said sadly. "I just wish...I wish this had never happened to her."

"I won't say anything."

"Thank you," Richard said, his relief and gratitude showing on his face.

Hannah at on the edge of the bed and took both her daughter's hands in hers. "There's something I should have told you a long time ago."

Olivia got the sense she knew what her mother was going to say. She could tell by the expression of guilt that was all over her face. She knew the story about her mother's lab accident, she also knew about the year long coma. It didn't take a genius to put the pieces together even without a little snooping around her mother's lab. She'd learned years ago that her unique learning abilities had something to do with the fact that her mother was never sick and healed very quickly. Something she had only developed after her coma. "It's okay mom. You couldn't have known."

Hannah let out a sigh and squeezed Olivia's hand. "You always were ten steps ahead of everyone else. Still I had no right to do that to you."

"Like I said, how I turned out, completely up to you. I like to focus on the part that you kept me even though the pregnancy totally freaked you out," Olivia confessed.

"You can thank your father and my deep rooted Christian beliefs. I can't tell you how scared I was, but I think I was more afraid of facing the consequences of not seeing it through. I believe God rewarded my faith. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful child."

"Aw mom." Olivia sniffed and hugged her mother tightly.

"I can't believe I almost lost you."

"You know everyone's been very tight lipped about that. What actually happened?" Olivia noticed that her mother stiffened slightly and she didn't answer immediately.

Hannah took Olivia's shoulders in her hands and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Somehow your abilities have evolved. Emil would like to run through some test with you, but don't worry, I'll be here for everything."

"And the cuts?" Olivia asked carefully, her mom was giving her more than anyone else had for the moment but she still got the feeling there was a white elephant that she was somehow missing.

"You were in your apartment. You fell. There was a lot of broken glass."

Her mother's eyes darted at first but she meet her with a level stare when she finished speaking so Olivia couldn't say it was an outright lie but her mother was hiding something.

Emil sat at his desk in his office and was going through Olivia's most recent charts when the alert for an incoming video link flashed on his screen. It was Waller.

"I was expecting your call, doctor," she said impatiently.

Emil snorted lightly in annoyance. "I didn't call because I haven't got anything to give you. She doesn't remember her abduction or what was done to her."

"That's not what I asked. And you can let us be the judge of that. Have her ready for transfer by tonight."

Waller ended the call and Emil felt the bottom of his stomach drop. He hadn't even told her parents about Waller's intentions yet. They had to be warned. Preferably before the men in black descended on their daughter.

* * *

Thank you for the story alert add Evelyn Simms. It's nice to know someone else wants to read more of this.

**Story notes: **Olivia is 16 and Oliver is 17 going on 18. They are both in their final year of high school. Oliver attends Excelsior Academy, Olivia attends Star City Central Academy. Richard brought Oliver down to attend Prom with Olivia.


	12. Finding Balance

**Notes:** We have **auntyk **to thank for this update. It would have come a week later if I had to try and find all the mistakes myself. I need to invest in a good word processor. :P

**-------------------------------------**

Chapter 12

Within seconds of advising the Kings of the threat to Olivia, his office had become a hive of activity. Richard was on the phone to Senator Ashton Reed, the Californian United States Senator, about the planned abduction of his daughter by a supposed government initiative. He threatened that if anything happened to his daughter, he'd investigate Waller and her organization and expose whatever it was they were doing to the people they were collecting like cattle.

Emil knew that this was only the beginning of the inevitable; the Kings seemed well connected people, powerful individuals. Watching them, he hoped that they would be able to protect Olivia.

However, he'd bore witness to the fact that Waller always got what she wanted. In going against her, he'd just painted a target on his back; worst case scenario, she'd make him disappear. He was the only connection between the Kings and Checkmate that Waller would be aware of. At the very least, he knew he would be fired. Not that he was concerned about that. Hannah King had her own government grants and private lab; she'd already extended him an offer that was too lucrative to pass up. Her only stipulation? That he make her daughter's health his number one priority. Considering he was greatly intrigued by her charts and the abilities she'd displayed, he couldn't wait to do a full blood and tissue work up to study her on a microscopic level.

Extracting his portable hard drive, he left his office. Hannah had arranged for Olivia to be transferred home from S.T.A.R Labs. Her lab was only a few minutes drive into town from their property. Richard had arranged for a security detail for Olivia. She would have around the clock protection.

It had been two days and he hadn't seen or heard from Amanda Waller or her people. It had been a relief, but he also knew that complacency always got you into trouble. He was very careful about who he contacted and he kept his files in a vault at the bank; his notes on Olivia kept on a USB stick in his coat pocket. All other documents he left in Hannah's care. She had a secure lab with people she'd vetted with years of loyal service.

For an early riser, Hannah rarely appeared in her lab before mid-morning. Emil had a feeling that was out of devotion to her husband than lack of passion for her work. At the hiss of the glass door opening, he turned to greet her with a nod.

"According to theological historians, human beings lived almost eleven times longer than their post-Flood descendants. Your cells show a decay rate six times slower than the average human. You're going to live longer than any recorded human being has in thousands of years."

Hannah swiftly moved to where he stood and snapped her journal shut, narrowing her eyes at Emil. "You had no business rifling through my private journals."

"You said I could use any of the materials at my disposal. I'm trying to understand your daughter's condition. When I found your research, I thought it most logical to first study the changes to your physiology before trying to decipher hers."

"Was it your sole purpose to sniff me out for Checkmate from the beginning?" Hannah asked stonily.

Emil folded his arms. He wasn't surprised that she'd discovered the secret organization that was under the umbrella of the Department of Metahuman Affairs. Maybe she'd known about them for years and she'd been testing him all along. "I would never experiment on you or your daughter without your consent and never with the intention of personal gain or accolade."

"But you do think that my condition is the key to the fountain of youth and don't bother denying it, I can see it in your eyes. Let me tell you that this is no gift. It's not natural. My goal was never longevity. To out live your loved ones, to out live your children, what kind of blessing is that? It's a curse. The Bible showed us what men did with lives that were too long a lifetime to live in a world corrupt with sin. They became so perverted that they were little better than the most savage animals."

"Then what was your intention?" he probed sceptically. He had never met anyone that didn't wish for better health or a more youthful appearance. Even women without her means paid thousands in surgical or chemical treatments to wind back the clock on their bodies. Where most women would flaunt it, Hannah disguised her youthful appearance with make-up; by dressing appropriately for her age, pulling her hair back into a neat chignon and wearing small reading glasses. He wondered if they were genuine. There were certain traits that were harder to conceal however. Like the lack of age spots on her skin, and wrinkles around her eyes, forehead and neck. Even in an age of botox, plastic surgery and chemical peels, nature was hard to defy. Staring at her, her eyes looked clear and bright like those of a twenty year old, instead of the sixty-odd years she was supposed to be.

"I hoped to provide a cure or at least a better defense for the rapidly evolving diseases that are sweeping our world, strengthen our immune response. This side effect was never even a consideration. I was too focused, too obsessed to see it." Hannah folded her arms over her stomach to keep them from shaking. She could barely suppress her anger and fear. No one. There was no one who'd ever come close to discovering the truth about her, and in less than a week, this man had unraveled everything she'd spent the last twenty-nine years trying to keep buried.

"And Olivia?" Emil pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and narrowed his eyes at her. Considering how nervous she was, he wondered if longevity was the only secret she had been hiding.

"Before I'd even begun to understand the changes my body had undergone, I realized I was pregnant. I stopped testing myself, too afraid at what I might discover. Instead, I avoided my lab and spent more time with my husband and in church.

"It wasn't until Olivia started showing signs herself, of being more than an average child that I decided to pick up my research. Then she started getting headaches, and I blamed my ignorance for her pain. Before that she'd been such a healthy and normal child, I thought perhaps I'd been blessed even though I'd made a grave mistake in playing with science I'd never fully understand. Perhaps we're never supposed too. The wages of sin is death. We can't change it; we must accept how things are. We're meant to die. Sickness and pain are a part of life. God is our only salvation."

"So your answer is to stop searching for answers? To stop questioning, to stop exploring?" Emil asked incredulously, for a scientist she didn't sound like one at all.

"No. To stop manipulating nature. I was playing God without even realizing it. I'll find a way to help my daughter, but I won't make the same mistake twice. If I can understand the balance, she can live a normal life. All I've ever tried to do is give her that."

Emil shook his head. "I think you've given me all you can. I'll continue my work alone."

Hannah nodded numbly. "I can't dictate what Olivia decides, I can only suggest what's best for her."

Emil gathered his briefcase and looked back at the woman standing with a resigned posture, staring out into the black night. She literally had the key to fighting so many diseases and genetic disorders floating in her blood stream but she refused to act. Despite the scientist in him screaming at the injustice of her keeping it to herself, the man understood her decision. There were many individuals whose existence he kept a secret who had the potential to change the world as radically as she could. If he was to keep their trust, he couldn't betray her secret either.

Over the next few days, Olivia began to feel stronger and more alert than she had in a long time. Emil had been giving her injections of B vitamins and Omega 3 Essential oils to boost a deficiency she hadn't know she had.

"Doctors couldn't have known. You couldn't have known. The levels your body requires to function properly far exceed the levels considered safe for someone of your age and size."

Olivia brushed back her hair behind her ears. She studied the charts and almost bulked at what she read. The level of mercury and magnesium she needed were considered lethal.

"Your brain function alone consumes ten times more minerals and essential nutrients than the average brain. It's why you've been getting these migraines. Your brain has been literally starved. Your hydration is not nearly sufficient to cool your body either. I'm working on a solution to that. Water is great but you're not going to be able to hydrate quickly enough for what your body needs."

"Perhaps an IV of saline once a day?" Olivia suggested. She'd spent so many years as a child being studied for what she could do than what was going on inside her body, that she was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she might never have had to give up her dream if she'd found a doctor like Emil sooner. Tears blurred her vision. "I might be able to practice again?"

Emil smiled and clutched the clipboard to his side. "If you're pain free and your concentration returns, I don't see any reason why not?"

Olivia impulsively threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

Emil laughed good naturedly but was clearly uneasy at her display of emotion. "I still have a few more days of tests to go over. A couple of more strenuous ones I might add. To see how much physical and mental exertion affects the balance we've reached but things are looking positive."

Olivia sat back and wiped her eyes. "I just can't believe it was all that simple."

"It looks that way once you have the answers. I'm as excited as you are."

Olivia shook her head and was smiling widely as Bart appeared in the doorway.

"How we doing today, beautiful?"

Olivia wrinkled her nose at him but her eyes were smiling. "I always see you munching on those, they must be good. Hand it over," she said waving at him.

Bart raised an eyebrow dubiously. "Ah, they're an acquired taste. Kind of a special formula. Seeds, various nuts, honey and..."

Olivia lifted his hand and took a bite. It tasted a lot like the home-made organic health slices her mom sometimes made, with wheat germ, linseed and dried fruit. It was a lot chewy and slightly powdery but not unpleasant.

"I never took you for a health food kind of guy?" she said with a teasing quirk to her lips.

Bart shrugged. "Doc says they're good for you."

"Oh so they're your concoction?" Olivia asked Emil. "I guess there's solid science behind that too then. Maybe I'll make it a dietary supplement."

Emil nodded. "It couldn't hurt."

Three days later and Olivia had run the gauntlet of extensive neurological tests, cardio, strength and fitness tests. She was exhausted and had muscle aches across her body but there wasn't a prickling of a headache in sight. As tired as she was, she felt completely liberated and blissfully happy.

This morning she'd woken up early, eager to her the results of presumably the last round of tests. Emil promised her that after yesterday, if the results were still positive, he'd write her a letter of recommendation stating that she was fit to practice again.

Sitting in on the examination table in Dr. Hamilton's wing of her mother's lab, Olivia crossed and recrossed her legs to keep her nervous jitterbugging under control. He said he wouldn't be in till 8 o'clock today. It was 8:03 when the door slid open and he walked in.

Emil wheeled over a small cart. It was covered in syringes, one of looked big enough to dose an elephant. She tried not to balk at the sight of it.

There was a rush of air and she looked up to see Bart. He looked more ruffled than usual. In fact, he looked like he'd just rolled out of bed.

"Did I miss the verdict?"

Olivia smiled nervously. "Just in time."

"I think we've got the dosages just right. I'd like to run weekly tests to monitor for any changes but it looks like we've figured it all out. Assuming you keep up the calorie intake to balance your exertion, maintain a healthy, minimally processed food diet and monitor your hydration..."

"Most of which I've been doing all my life, but apparently not to the extent my very queer body requires." She smiled, barely able to contain her excitement. "Basically, I've got to prick test myself every few hours, do a pinch test for hydration and gorge myself on Dr. Hamilton's special formula energy bars for the duration of my life, if I hope to be migraine free and fully functional?"

"Don't forget the massively scary looking needle," Bart pointed out, eying the needle with naked fear.

Olivia patted his arm sympathetically. "Relax hero, I reconciled myself to endure a little pain a long time ago. I figured I can't go around jabbing people and inflicting pain if I can't suck it up and take it myself." She rolled up her sleeve.

Emil paused and then pointed to the curtain screen. "Trust me; you're going to want it in a less sensitive area. And you'll need to keep a journal of the injection sites so you remember to switch every day."

Olivia rolled her eyes and slapped Bart in the arm at the obvious glee in his eyes at the prospect of watching her undress.

"There's a gown on the chair behind the screen. I'll come back in five, without the audience."

"What! Why?" Bart protested.

Olivia only laughed.

**A couple months later**

Oliver got out of the taxi and closed the door. The driver popped the trunk and took out his duffel bag and dropped it on the driveway next to his feet. Oliver pulled out a five and absently gave it to the driver, while he stared up at his childhood home. Spring was in the air, the blooming flower beds and freshly cut hedges; nothing had changed. The housekeeper he'd found to replace Nonna had done a very good job. He missed his old friend. She'd been with the family a long time. He'd never thought to ask her about her immigration status, and felt so ignorant now. How many things had he taken for granted? If he'd asked her about it before, he might have been able to help her get a green card. She still had family in Honduras, a sister. If he did a little digging he'd track down her number and address. He made a note that once he got himself sorted out, he'd pay her a visit.

The taxi pulled away and he picked up his bag, starting up the driveway to the front steps of his childhood home. He opened the front door and stopped in the entrance to check the pile of mail on the side table. A stack of private correspondence from names that didn't stand out, a few from Queen Industries and various subsidiaries, two stamped from Metropolis with no return address and one heavy packet that was embossed with silver etchings. A formal invitation of some sort. He ripped it open and pulled out the contents.

There was a handwritten note inside on Wayne Enterprises stationary.

'Hey Queen, if you can spare a couple of days, we should catch up. Bruce.'

Enclosed were two ivory colored tickets, printed on thick textured paper. They read, 'Wayne Enterprises sponsored Gala Banquet for Doctor's Without Borders'.

The date said tonight. He'd missed the RSVP. He could always just crash the party but he didn't feel in a very partying mood. He had a lot to make up for and a lot of people to make amends with. Even though he'd rather just stay a recluse the rest of his life, avoiding the spotlight and any trouble, time away had taught him that you couldn't out run your problems. You had to deal with them head on if you ever hoped to find peace. The monastery had helped him find a balance, given him focus. He could better manage his sometimes fiery temper and felt rejuvenated. Playing a corporate head and a masked crime fighter had worn him thin without even realizing it until he snapped and fell over the edge. He'd crossed the line killing Lex. There was no fixing that mistake but he could ensure that he never took that step again.

There was a loud crash and shriek. There in the corridor leading to the east wing, stood May Ling; hand on her heart, duster in her other hand, surrounded by broken porcelain at her feet. "Mr. Queen!" she exclaimed, sucking in large gulps of air. "You give me a heart attack." She swat him with her duster. "Why don't you call? Say you are coming?"

Oliver could only grin at her expression. "Sorry. But what better way to know my house is in order than to surprise you?"

She narrowed her eyes at him before lifting her chin and putting her hands on her hips, she huffed. "Lots of messages in your office too. Go that way." She shooed him away from the mess and bent to collect the pieces of the broken vase, muttering to herself.

Oliver quietly stepped around her and smirked at her back. She had silvery streaks in her inky black hair and near flawless skin for a woman in her fifties. She'd been a seamstress back in Japan but had grown children who were U.S. Citizens and had come to live with them. She'd earned her permanent residency last year and was eager to support herself by doing odd jobs. For a 5'3" woman she had a lot of fire in her and was all business; efficient and punctual. Twelve candidates from three different agencies and she'd been the only one who impressed him. It looked like she'd done a fabulous job while he was away. He'd have to check the account he'd set up for expenses before he could say that with absolute certainty but she seemed like a person who had integrity.

It took him most of the morning before he'd caught up on the backlog of news and messages. Hal was off world again, or at least that's what Oliver assumed when he couldn't reach him at home or on his cell. If he was on Earth or within range of its satellites, Hal's cell diverted to the Ring. When Hal had left him at the monastery he hadn't felt the best but hadn't dwelled on what his friend had shown him. Instead, he'd hidden the picture and focused on his training. Taking it out of his bag, he stared at it. He still couldn't remember a lot of what happened, though he could remember drinking a lot and getting into a fight. What the fight had been about he couldn't recall. Olivia looked incredibly young in the picture. She was beautiful with her pale skin and expressive blue eyes. Just looking at her picture made his chest ache. He had treated her so badly over the years, all because he hated everything that she had and he didn't. Family, friends, real friends and most of all respect. She'd never put a foot wrong, and she made it seem effortless when everything he did ended up in tabloid raves about rich kids behaving badly. It was his own fault though, he hadn't wanted to try. He hadn't cared. At least that's what he'd told himself.

Oliver looked at the names on his list again. The top few were local. It wouldn't take much to find them. The rest were going to be more difficult. He made a swift trip to his new Arrow room in the basement garage. With its unlimited access to the Queen Industries satellite he quickly found that only two of the Justice teams comm. links were active. Victor and Chloe. Both of them were in Gotham City. He smiled. At least the two of them had stayed together. They had a kinship for technology and seemed to understand each others quirks like no one else. If anyone would be able to help Chloe through her grief it would have been Victor. He was disgusted with himself for leaving Chloe after Jimmy's funeral but had expected Clark to be there for her. He shouldn't have assumed anything. He was her friend too, regardless of the guilt and anger he felt over the whole sordid affair with Davis Bloom. He should have stood by Chloe.

The first name on his list took a while. He had known the man all his life, but had never once thanked him for being there, constantly stewarding a rebellious and ungrateful charge. A conversation was well overdue. He clicked off his system and walked out of his Arrow room. The walls slid closed behind him and he headed for the stairs. He'd take a shower, and pack a suitcase. After paying Richard and Hannah a visit, he'd fly to Gotham to meet a few friends. Hopefully they'd be willing to hear him out before the verbal lashings started. Judging from the messages he'd received from Chloe, she seemed inclined to forgive him. It didn't mean he deserved it though. Lucky for him, fate had deemed fit to surround him with genuinely good people. He'd just been too ignorant and selfish to acknowledge that before.

**Florence Park**

Oliver spent the afternoon with Richard and Hannah; realizing how much he'd missed. He already knew about Olivia's abduction from Hal but hearing it from her parents and what she'd gone through, it had almost reduced him to tears. Richard had sensed his feelings and had asked him to take a walk outside. He explained that he'd known of Olivia's feelings for him for a long time and he'd never discouraged it because he knew that underneath it all, Oliver was a good person. But he wanted to warn him. While Olivia might still care for him, she had someone else in her life now; that man made her smile and watched out for her. Oliver was surprised to discover his identity. It was Bart, the teen he'd caught stealing from an uptown Italian restaurant. Bart would be twenty-two by now, but Oliver still considered him little more than a boy. He was a nervous ball of energy and learned his art for charming and courting women from the lifestyle channel. He hardly seemed the type to interest a woman like Olivia. Not only did she have a sharp mind, she was cultured and old school. She didn't date just for the hell of it. Over the years she'd only had a handful of boyfriends, all highly educated guys with Ivy League credentials.

Oliver wondered how she and Bart had even met. They didn't move in the same circles. What did she see in him? He was still trying to come up with theories when he arrived at the park where Hannah said Olivia was spending the afternoon. It was a family park with lots of play equipment, sandboxes and shaded picnic benches. It was a kid's heaven and a parent's dream. He spotted her easily. Her long dark hair was streaming out behind her as she tackled a young kid from behind. The boy had long dirty blond hair but if it weren't for his baseball jersey and torn jeans, Oliver couldn't be faulted for thinking he might have been a girl. A short masculine chuckle drifted to him across the field and he was rooted to the spot, watching the boy bump fists with Olivia, before taking the ball back under his arm. In the other direction he saw Bart, and a woman with her hair pulled back into neat corn rows, gathered into a long ponytail.

"Sandy, the boys still think they can take us. Come on Bart, I'd like to see you try."

Oliver frowned, trying to remember where he'd heard that name before and why the woman looked familiar. Sandy looked in his direction and her eyes widened in surprised before it morphed into fierce anger. He wondered what he could have done to her, to warrant such hostility. Olivia seemed to notice the change and followed her friend's line of sight. She saw Oliver and her face broke into a beaming smile. She patted the boy on the shoulder and ruffled his hair before jogging over to where he stood.

"Hi," she breathed, coming to a stop a few feet from him. Her cheeks flushed rosy from exertion.

Oliver just stared. Up close she was more beautiful than he remembered. Bright ash blue eyes framed by dark lashes, full pink stained lips that bore nothing but shiny gloss and wavy thick dark brown hair what smelled like a field of wild flowers. "Hey," he mumbled uselessly.

Olivia patted his arm. "Wanna join in? I think the boys could use the help." She nodded playfully in Bart's direction. His old colleague stuck his tongue out at Olivia and when her back was turned, planted his hands on his hips and inclined his head in a manner that said 'We need to talk'.

"When did you get back?"

Oliver buried his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Bart looked more mature; certainly dressed it. Gone were the Walmart pants and hoodies. Today he was in a button down pinstripe shirt with designer jeans and a pair of dark Dirty Dog sunglasses on his face. He'd also cut his hair shorter. It was styled neatly, instead of windblown and shaggy. "I just wanted to say thank you."

Olivia tilted her head. "For what?"

She looked perturbed by his statement and Oliver frowned. Did she expect him to spell it out. "Toby Greene." He hoped the name would be enough for her to piece it together.

Olivia shook her head. "I'm pretty good with remembering, the name doesn't ring a bell. How do I know him?"

Oliver frowned. Olivia had accompanied the boy to the hospital, had stayed with him until he was out of surgery. It was very unlike her to forget something of that magnitude. Maybe it was a result of the trauma she had gone through. Her kidnappers had interrogated her for information on Green Arrow, maybe she had suppressed the memory to protect herself. He swore inwardly. 'Not to protect herself. You, idiot. To protect you.' Against his better judgement, he pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her forehead. He felt her surprise but she quickly returned his embrace and patted him on the back in a comforting gesture.

Olivia pulled back and looked at him curiously. "I'd like to catch up, hear all your stories. What you've been up too. You staying for awhile?"'

Oliver pursed his lips before answering, glancing cautiously in Bart's direction. He was heading over to them now. "I'm actually heading to Gotham for a bit to see a few friends but I'll be back. Maybe I'll call you then?" he asked hesitantly.

Olivia smiled and squeezed his arm. "Sure, Ollie. I'm glad you're back."

Oliver nodded and Olivia turned and jogged back to the boy, not seeing Bart approach from the other direction.

Bart yanked Oliver arm hard and pulled him in the direction of the carpark. "You've got a lot of nerve showing up now. Did you know her father had to ID a body that looked exactly like yours while Olivia was missing? Imagine how that felt for him. Losing a guy he considered a son and his daughter at the same time."

Oliver ran his fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, staring at Bart in surprise. They'd found the impostor and he was dead? How had he not heard about that? "I didn't know. Richard never said anything about..."

"Why would he? Turns out it wasn't you, the body was missing a few telltale facial scars and dental records didn't match. Think evil twin. Anyway, now that you're back, I imagine he's feeling relieved. If you're planning on sticking around, you might as well know Lex is alive but don't worry, we've got things covered. I'll never let him near Olivia again."

Oliver felt the blood drain out of his face. Hal had never told him who had Olivia. If he'd known he would have come back with him. To hell with training and how he felt about himself. Lex would have killed her for revenge on either of them. Green Arrow or Oliver, the school bully and corporate thorn in his side. "How?" he breathed in disbelief.

Bart waved him off. "Not as good a marksman as you think," he said bitterly. "Olivia can take care of herself, she's not a wilting wallflower, but we've all got her back regardless. If you want to meet the new team, I'll let them know you're interested. There's an official briefing in a couple of weeks."

Oliver could only nod numbly. Bart didn't wait for him to reply, he stalked back in the direction of the group, now seated on a picnic bench where they were downing bottles of water. He turned and headed for his car. He had a lot more to think about.


	13. When A Life Ends

**Acknowledgements: **Thank you to **auntyk** for the beta =)

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Two months ago**

Olivia put her hand on the handle and sighed as she pushed the lever. It was great being back at work but sometimes the job really hit her hard.

Currently she was treating a boy who had a patient record, a ream thick. In and out of hospital since he was three, he was constantly getting sick and at six years old, hadn't had a very bright young life. His parents had tried various doctors, each had treated his current symptoms. While his health seemed to improve for awhile sometimes for as long as a few months, he always wound back in hospital. At first, she thought it might be environmental; in hospital he started to improve overnight, but his organs began failing over the subsequent twenty four hours. His tests baffled her; she requested a consult from a renowned diagnostician and yesterday they'd finally found the cause. He had African Trypanosomiasis. They'd caught it too late. He had extensive kidney and liver damage, his odds of finding a double transplant in the time they had was slim to none. It was these kinds of cases that cut her up inside. She'd chosen PEDS because she loved kids and helping them and their parents through rough times made her smile like nothing else could, but seeing them suffer always hurt deep.

She stopped dead to see an African-American woman sitting in one of her tub chairs opposite her desk. The woman smiled, but it seemed like a calculated expression. It lacked sincere warmth.

"I wasn't expecting anyone. Are you a relative of a patient?" She didn't have appointments scheduled for the afternoon; she was on duty at the hospital clinic.

The woman shook her head and she handed Olivia a file. "Have a seat."

Olivia took the folder and sat in the tub chair next to the woman. Leafing through it, she noticed that the woman had compiled a dossier on Bart. After her recovery, Bart had confessed that he'd been keeping part of his life a secret from her. A huge part in hindsight but she'd understood his reasons. It wasn't that he didn't trust her or consider her a good friend; he liked her. He didn't want her thinking him some kind of freak or worse, not wanting him around anymore. It was irrational but she'd accepted it. She knew that it was guilt over what happened to her too. Nobody would tell her the truth about that but for some reason she knew Bart felt guilty about it. Did he think it was because people knew about his abilities and had targeted her for some reason? That she was hurt because of their association. It didn't make sense until now.

"Bart Allen. He comes from a family of gifted metahumans. He can travel the speed of light."

Olivia didn't say anything; she merely closed the folder and set it on the edge of her desk. "You haven't told me who you are, and why you're here?"

"Amanda Waller," she extended her hand and smiled that smile again.

Olivia shook her hand but didn't return that depth-less expression. "I've heard of you. You work for the Department of Metahuman Affairs. My parents strongly believe that the actions of your department are harsh and, in certain cases, in direct violation of basic human and civil rights."

Amanda shrugged and held her chin high. "People who aren't in possession of all the facts and who don't see the individuals we deal with have no right to judge. Over the last decade, the known metahuman population has increased from a few hundred scattered world-wide to hundreds of thousands. Eight percent of those are meteor infected. Do you realize that the largest concentration of those individuals reside right here in the United States? Most of them live normal lives, never once drawing attention to themselves or breaking the law. Others, however use their abilities for thrill-seeking, vigilantism or for personal gain without any regard for the law or the safety of others. We exist to keep those individuals in check and to help anyone else who needs the assistance. Some people believe our methods are extreme, some have called us inhumane. Believe me when I tell you Dr. King, when you are dealing with people who can tear you apart with a thought or create ice pikes by drawing moisture from the air, and who's only goal is domination, diplomacy will get you killed."

Olivia folded her hands in her lap and leaned forward fixing the woman with a disbelieving look. "People carry guns, knifes and tasers on their person, our constitution allows you to bear arms. It's about control. You can take a person's weapon but you can't take away an ability that can be used as a weapon. Instead, you've decided to lock them up. Just in case."

Amanda's lips curled upward in a half smirk. "Not all metahumans are like yourself or Mr. Allen. Oh don't look surprised," Amanda said with a full smile now. "I like to know everything about a person before I meet them. I want you to work with us, Doctor. You may think you've heard everything there is to know, but I guarantee nobody has told you that half of our team consist of metahumans. We like to operate on the standard: one of us and one of you. It keeps us honest. You have a gift, doctor, one which I think is being wasted here. You can relate to these people in a way no regular doctor can hope to understand let alone empathize."

Olivia stood up slowly and picked up the folder. "This meeting wasn't about you offering information about him. You were hoping to use this as leverage."

Amanda stood and put her hands in her pockets. "Believe what you want, Olivia; the offer stands. Keep the file." The woman left and Olivia sank back into the chair. Her day had officially hit rock bottom.

That night she called Bart and told him everything. He told her in uncertain terms not to accept; he could take care of himself. It had then taken her a full two hours to get him out of the guilty funk he buried himself in. She had to remind him that the woman had known about her abilities too, though there was nothing spectacular about her, aside from her body's energy, nutrient and hydration requirements. Bart was a super-powered metahuman, she was just abnormal.

Olivia opened her apartment door and flipped a lamp. Bart had sped her back from the restaurant and returned to San Francisco. He had an early start in the morning. He'd just made Level 1 CSI, and his first official day in the field was tomorrow. He was looking forward to working with San Fran P.D.'s most seasoned forensics team, some of whom he'd had contact with while working the labs.

She picked up a picture frame she had on her side table and grinned. It was of Conner at nine-years-old. He was hanging upside down by one knee off the tree branch doing his best monkey impression. The kid was a limitless ball of energy and a regular source of headaches and emotional grief for his single mother. She'd met Sandra about ten years ago when she'd only been an intern.

**Years ago**

"Doctor, please I need your help," the frantic young woman pleaded.

Olivia took one look at the small boy she clutched in her arms and touched his forehead. He was burning up with a fever. "Ma'am, I'm just an intern. Have you seen one of the clinic doctors? I know the wait can be tough, but I'll speak to the triage nurse and see if they can..."

Sandra gripped her arm. "Please, I don't have insurance, they won't see us here. The closest public hospital is thirty miles away and I don't have a car," she pleaded tears pooling in her eyes.

Olivia froze, her eyes widening in sympathy. Her mother had warned her that working with people would test her on all levels.

'Just remember that you can't help everyone, Olivia. It's a job. You might be passionate about it but don't let it consume you.'

Olivia looked both ways like a criminal about to make a break for it. Her supervisor would have her head if she caught her treating without authorization. "Look I can check him over but I can't run any tests. The best I can do is call ahead to Star Mercy. I'll order you a cab."

"You don't have to do that," Sandra said her eyes filling with tears.

"I want to help. I'd like to be a pediatrician some day. Can't let a future potential patient down," Olivia said with a warm smile. Heading to the Triage desk, she punched in the number of the "This is Dr. King from Star City Bayview, I'm sending a..." she covered the receiver. " Your son's name?"

"Connor Hawke," Sandra supplied.

"Connor Hawke to see Dr. Wiess. Is he in? Thank you. Please tell him to call me when he's free. Thank you." She put the phone down and dialed again. "Yes, I'm at Star City Bayview, I need a service to Star City General. I'll pay cash in advance. Thank you." Replacing the phone, she gestured for Sandra to take a seat by the ambulance entrance doors. "Let's have a look at him.

Sandra laid him across her lap and Olivia put on her stethoscope and listened to his breathing, and then his heart. "He's congested. Has he been coughing? Runny nose?"

Sandra nodded. "He had a little cough yesterday, nothing raspy or noisy."

"Has he had all his shots?" When Sandra nodded again, Olivia continued. "Does he play a lot with other children?"

"I have him in daycare six days a week. I'm a single mother, making the rent can be tough. The lady in our building used to be a carer back home. She's got five other children that stay with her."

"Childhood illnesses can be rough on parents. Their immune systems are still developing, so anything that goes around they tend to pick up." She took out her pen light and checked his pupils; they were responsive. "Connor, can you hear me?" The little boy whimpered. She attached the ear-scope to the light and gently put her palm to his head as she peered inside the ear canal. She had to stifle a gasp, and she quickly checked the other ear. "He has an acute ear infection. The left is worst than the right but they're both very inflamed. It would explain the fever." She stood up and when to the vending machine. Buying a sports drink, she uncapped it and offered it too his mother. "Let him sip a little if he wants it." She looked up to see a cab driver enter though the glass doors.

"Anyone call a service?"

Olivia waved at him. "Can you hold up for just a minute?" She ran the length of the wing to the staff locker room and took a hundred dollar bill from her purse. Running back she felt faint and bright spots dotted her vision. She needed to exercise more. "This should cover it. Keep the change."

"Sure, doc. Thanks."

Sandra hoisted the drowsy child to her shoulder and adjusted her handbag on her other arm. "I can't thank you enough," she said squeezing Olivia's hand.

Olivia smiled and rubbed. Connor's back. "Think tough, Connor. Dr. Wiess is gonna help you get better. Take care, Sandra."

Olivia had watched them leave, not realizing at the time that it was only the first encounter of many, and the beginning of a life long friendship.

Her parents had been skeptical of her friendship with Sandra in the beginning and didn't approve of the fact that she was a single mother. They'd probably wondered what kind of man the father had been to leave her to shoulder that kind of responsibility alone or perhaps they questioned Sandra's morals. It didn't matter to Olivia though. In fact, she thought it admirable how much she'd accomplished with him all on her own. He was the most well adjusted kid she'd come across. Granted, he had a hair trigger temper and he was a danger magnet but he was content and rarely complained about his family circumstances or lack of means. Even for a teen, he wasn't hormonal or Emo like half the youths she'd treated over the years. He had a quiet wisdom about him. It surprised her coming from someone so energetic, who was also sometimes prone to rash decisions.

**Present day**

Olivia had taken Sandra and Connor to dinner and while it was rare that Sandra allowed Connor out on a school night, they were celebrating her 30th birthday. They'd gone to a vegetarian 5-star Chinese restaurant on the upper east side of the city. Olivia had picked them up so that Sandra didn't have to use her weekly fuel allowance on the trip.

They were comfortably full and laughing, taking a leisurely walk back to the parking garage from the restaurant when they were ambushed by a gang of youths. Some wielded baseball bats, while other carried chains. Their leader wore a cross-patterned bandanna, diamond studs in his ears and half a dozen gold necklaces around his neck.

"What's up ladies? Kind of late to be strollin' in the dark alone, don'tcha think?" he said with a grisly smile. He rubbed his hands together and looked Sandra up and down, undressing her with his eyes.

Olivia felt Connor bristle at her side. He was tall for his age, at thirteen already an inch taller than her. His father must have been a big guy. Sandra was only a petite 5' 4" to her larger frame of 5'8". She put a cautionary hand on his arm. "We don't want any trouble, we're just heading home."

"Sorry, mama. You came through the wrong neighborhood."

Olivia pushed the keys into Connor's hand. "Run," she ordered him.

"Connor, run," Sandra barked at her son, her eyes wide with fear. But she seemed to accept the hopeless thought that her headstrong boy would never leave them.

Connor threw his fist into one of the thug's faces as he advanced. He kicked another in the stomach, sending him into a wall. A boy probably only a year older than him tried to stab him from behind and Sandra screamed. Connor turned in time to grab his arm and throw him forward. The boy fell head long into the side of the dumpster, the force of the impact rendering him unconscious. He sagged into a heap in the alley.

Sandra was doing a fair job fighting off two men who were pulling at her clothes. One managed to get her handbag while the other tried to pin her to a wall.

Olivia watched all of this in horror, her legs frozen. She didn't care that the gang leader had taken her handbag and was currently rifling through her wallet.

"Doctor Olivia King. What? That's all you got? A hundred dollars? Where's the credit cards, lady? One card? Car keys," the man growled savagely.

Olivia flinched when he got up in her face. "I don't have them," she said her voice trembling. "Take the car, its lot 132, Level 4G. Over there." She pointed to the multi-story parking garage across the street.

He snarled at her. "Kill the kid; we'll make these bitches work to earn their keep."

Olivia felt her whole body recoil at the implications of his words, as a gang member pulled a gun. Connor was trying to break free from a man who'd managed to get him in a strangle hold. She shoved past the gang leader and threw herself in front of Connor. She only had a split second to reach him; she heard the gun fire and prayed she'd been fast enough.

Everything seemed to slow right down. She could see Sandra screaming and no sounds were playing in her ears. Sandra had clawed at the man's face holding her and he'd released her. Connor had elbowed the man holding him in the groin and he'd gotten free. He was edging closer. The youth with the smoking gun stood looking down at her in shock. She hit the ground hard and she felt it splinter under her hands, dust and bits of rock flew into her eyes. The sting was awful. She'd felt the impact of the bullet. It seemed to ripple over her entire body. She blinked a few times, testing her limbs. There was an awful hollow feeling, and she couldn't pinpoint where she was supposed to hurt. She had to put pressure on the entry and gather her strength. She had to help her friends.

"Kill the kid, take the woman. We don't leave witnesses."

Connor switched his attention to the guy with the gun. There was another shot but this time it was intercepted by Sandra. She sagged into Connor, who caught her before she could fall to her knees.

Sirens blared in the distance and Olivia threw her arm out to grab Connor's ankle. She didn't want him chasing them. It was over. If only she could keep him safe for a little longer; keep him close. She closed her hand around his ankle and held on as tightly as she could. Her eyelids grew heavy and she heard raised voices, some familiar, before passing out.

**Star City Metro Hospital**

Emil hovered over the bed. It was the same deal as last time. He couldn't get an IV in and the monitors were useless. Whatever had happened in that alley, she'd protected herself again; unconsciously. He couldn't even try the traditional way of getting fluids into her because she was out. The last time they'd tried to put a feeding tube in while she was under, her throat had closed up and she'd started turning blue.

Bart appeared hovering in the window outside her room and Emil walked to the door to let him in.

"What happened?" he demanded impatiently.

"They think it was a gang related attack in the Upper East Side; Turf wars escalating. Olivia, Sandra and Connor got caught in the middle. The boy's downstairs while his mother's in surgery. Bullet entered her back, tore through a lung hit a bone and fragments severed an artery. She's lost a lot of blood and surgeons are working to stabilize her. It's not looking good. He could use some support right now."

"And Olivia?"

"Externally? She's fine. I fed the cops a story about her having seizures under stress. Not a complete lie. The emergency bracelet she wears sends a message to my phone if her vitals ever fall below a certain point. I caught a ride over in the bus that arrived on scene. There was a bullet hole in her suit jacket and shirt and gunshot residue on her clothes. She stopped a bullet, Bart. Who knows what that did to her brain? Her body manages stress differently to the average person; it's a delicate balance as it is. I have to work on a booster that kicks in whenever she uses that defensive ability of hers so she'll be able to sustain normal brain activity and manage the stress on her body before the coma hits."

"Will she wake up?" he said fidgeting nervously. Not that anyone would notice. Hopping foot to foot and hand clenching was all in light-speed. When he was this anxious, it was extremely difficult to slow down.

"Last time it was J'onn that triggered her. I'm hoping it won't come to that again. I know he's not comfortable invading people's thoughts. I'm sure Olivia wasn't impressed by it either."

Bart nodded numbly. "Call me the second she's awake. I'll go stay with Connor."

**Six hours later**

Olivia blinked. Her head throbbed. She put tentative fingers to her temples, rubbing lightly. Her head felt like it would split apart. Her stomach rolled and she dry retched; she was starving. Seeing an IV machine with a bag of glucose solution attached, she unhooked the tubing from the top of the machine and searched through the drawers for an angio catheter and smart set. Pulling a tourniquet tight around her upper arm, she tapped her forearm to find a vein. Pushing in the needle, she secured the catheter with tape and attached the connector and tubing. Letting open the tap she waited for the fluid to drain down. Within minutes she felt human again. Her brain still felt like it was pulsing against her skull, but she didn't feel like she was on the verge of curling into a dry husk. Pouring herself a glass of water, she drank it down.

Emil flew through the door looking harried. "You're awake, great! We'll start an IV and..." he raised an eyebrow seeing that she'd already started her IV. Smiling, he dropped his chart on the end of the bed and reached into his lab coat. "I guess I'll just skip to adding these then." He used one of the extra valves and pushed her daily cocktail of nutrients into her vein. Feeling the familiar tingle course through body, she could pinpoint the exact moment it reached her brain tissue. The ringing in her ears subsided and the throbbing ebbed.

"Thanks Emil. Don't know what I'd do without you."

"Want to tell me exactly what happened in that alley?"

Olivia chewed her lip. "Are they okay?"

Emil avoided her eyes and took out the empty syringe. He set it on the side table before facing her to answer her question. His expression spoke volumes.

Olivia gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. "No." She shook her head adamantly. Turning in the bed, she released the guard rail and swung her legs over the side.

Emil grabbed her by the shoulders halting her movement. "You are not leaving this bed. There's nothing you can do for her now."

"But Connor. He'll be a devastated. He'll blame himself; he needs someone to make sure he won't do anything rash..."

"Bart's with him.

That mollified Olivia a little, but she knew she might be the only one who would be able to get through to him. "Emil, could you do something for me please?"

"Anything," the doctor said without hesitating.

"Make sure that Connor doesn't leave this hospital."

Emil nodded his assurance and released her. Olivia sat back in the bed and put a hand to her forehead, just thinking about what she should do was starting to give her a headache. She knew what type of sentence the gang leader would get if she sent the police after him; assault and theft, possibly possession of unregistered firearms and maybe drugs if they searched him. The most he'd get would be a couple of years, shorter if he got a good lawyer. It wouldn't be enough. She knew how Connor's mind worked, he wouldn't let this go. Especially not now that Sandra was dead. The kid who shot at them both wasn't the problem either; it was the whole gang mentality that was threatening to rule the streets. Young boys didn't have options. Living in those neighborhoods meant join up or get killed. Very few of them made good enough grades to make a scholarship to escape the cycle. There was only one choice. She knew someone who could take care of the problem. She knew someone who could help her protect Connor. It wasn't even a choice anymore.

She waited until Emil left, promising to check on Connor for her. Olivia reached over and picked up the telephone. Dialing a number from memory she waited while it buzzed trying to make a connection.

_"Waller."_

"It's Olivia King. We need to meet."

**Justice League Moon Base, two days later**

"I took you at your word before, Diana. I need to know, why did you leave Themyscera?" J'onn asked leaning back in his chair, while trying to read the woman across from him. She was remarkably good at schooling her thoughts.

"J'onn, I never deceived you," Diana said leaning forward in her chair, placing her palms flat on the table between them. She knew he was trying to see if she was being deceptive at all and she understood his reasons.

Olivia King had just accepted Waller's offer to join Checkmate and they all knew her reasons for doing so had come from a place of desperation. A close friend of hers had been killed, she was at a loss to even begin to understand or even control her abilities and she had a young boy in her care that she wanted to protect at all costs.

"But, you haven't told me all that you know either," J'onn said his voice pinched. He knew why Olivia had made her choice and while he understood her reasoning, her thought processes, he was afraid for her. She'd agreed to work for Waller, knowing full well the kind of methods she employed. She'd even counted on her acting, to ensure that those men never threatened anyone again. She wanted Waller to clean up the streets in one foul swoop. While she cared that people would get hurt, parents who were desperate to help their wayward kids but didn't know how, she had put those youths in the cross-hairs anyway. To protect Connor. To keep him from taking vengeance himself.

"You never asked," Diana answered him calmly.

"Diana," J'onn pressed impatiently.

"An aircraft violated our airspace and took out one of the watchtowers in our city. It crashed into the ocean. It has been centuries since Themysecra was threatened by the outside world. We are protected by the gods."

"And now?" J'onn asked his ridged brow arching slightly.

"The gods do not give us the answers we seek. We searched for the aircraft but found none. In our search we discovered that on the same day a monster had attacked a city, killing several people and injuring hundreds more with his destructive force. Believing it to be a demon that had escaped the pit of Tartarus, my mother sent an ambassador to investigate. I disguised myself to enter the tournament so that I would be the warrior chosen to represent my people," Diana explained with a wave of her hand.

"But you discovered that it wasn't a demon known to your people. The beast was of alien origin." J'onn saw in her mind that she was referring to the Kryptonian created beast, humans had dubbed Doomsday. Kal-El had buried Doomsday; he would never escape his tomb deep near the heart of earth's core.

"Yes." Diana nodded and stood slowly, folding her arms over her chest. Her lips thinning as she lost herself in thought.

"It was then that you decided not to return but to investigate this matter further. Approaching our government as an emissary of your people."

Diana's head shot up with a rare smile. "Actually, I didn't have to. I was forced to reveal myself during an incident in the capitol. Waller approached me soon after."

"Why does she want you to speak with Olivia?"

Diana smiled wider. "Oh she doesn't want me to speak to her. She wants me to train her. Waller wants to use her unique position to Checkmate's advantage."

J'onn frowned deeply. "She will be able to approach metahumans where other doctors cannot," he said understanding Waller's motivations for going after her now. "She will gain their trust, get them to cooperate. Why do I get the impression that this is not for their best interests."

"Even I'm not that naïve, J'onn. Waller always has her own agenda but I believe that she serves her country first and in all things."

"Perhaps," J'onn said with a small nod. "Her thoughts are always carefully guarded. However, she has a dark aura about her. Individuals in her position are rarely compassionate or idealistic."

"And I'm sure you had this impression accepting her proposal and yet you still joined," Diana pointed out, her arms falling to her sides.

J'onn allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "What the government keeps secret; someone should always care to oversee. Power can corrupt even those with the best of intentions."

Diana smiled, her beautiful face transforming to one of ethereal grace. "And I agree with you, J'onn."

Her stature rivaled most men but she had the poise and elegance of a true royal. Despite her defined muscles and strong body, there was no mistaking her femininity with her creamy flawless skin and generous curves. She was formed to represent beauty and wisdom. Yet in her eyes he often saw a deep loneliness and confusion. She wanted to trust those she called allies but kept her distance; her deep rooted belief that men were treacherous and unworthy of loyalty or trust always prevalent. Even from them, the ones she called her friends.


	14. Gotham City

**Acknowledgments: **Thank you to** sxymami0909** for the beta =)

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**King Bronsan and Partners**

Olivia stiffened in the armchair and stared at her father. "How could you keep this a secret?"

"I just wanted you to know all the facts before you made a decision. I was aware that Sandra appointed you guardian. I always assumed you'd agreed. You're my daughter, but due to confidentiality, not to mention stipulations I put on Ms. Hawke in the first place I could hardly discuss her decisions with you."

Shaking her head, she tried to look at her father without judgment but she didn't succeed. Through narrowed eyes, she blinked at him, she could feel tears burning. "Does he know?"

He caught her meaning even without her saying his name. "Oliver doesn't know. It's up to you if you want to tell him, but considering all the boy's been through, I hardly think it's the appropriate time."

"Dad! He has a father, and Oliver has a right to know."

"Olivia, she tired to approach him before. Heck dozens of young women claimed to be having his child over the years. This is the only one that I know of that ever turned out to be legitimate. By the time I learned of her pregnancy, Oliver had gone missing, presumed dead. I told her there was little I could do considering the circumstances. She told me he was dead to her anyway. It was a one night stand, a mistake, a lapse in youthful judgment. She didn't want her son to turn out anything like his father. When Oliver returned, and I discovered she had had the boy, I offered financial support. Oliver's like a son to me, I didn't want his son growing up without options."

"But she didn't take it," Olivia reasoned bitterly. She knew first hand the struggles Sandra had daily just to get by. She could have had it so much easier if she'd just taken the money. But she knew Sandra, the woman was stubborn and if she'd decided she didn't want Oliver in Connor's life then she'd be on her death bed before she'd accept anything remotely associated to him. It was amazing that she'd kept their friendship after learning who Olivia's parents were. Now that first family gathering had a whole new light. Sandra's shock and immediate reservation, almost backing out of dinner, and her parents forced hospitality and quiet disapproval. It wasn't because they'd disapproved of their friendship, it was because they were trying to keep their secret.

"No, she didn't," Richard said with a deep sigh. "But the account existed nonetheless, set up in the boy's name with Sandra as a signatory. It sits at $500,000.00 to date. I make monthly deposits. I would put it toward a college education. He could take any course he wanted, at the university of his choice. You should consider enrolling him in prep school. He'd be starting mid term but it'd give him a chance to get used to the setting and the curriculum before the new year starts. He'll need all the help he can get to improve that grade point average. My sources tell me that he tends to be a bit of a trouble maker at school, doesn't apply himself in class and rarely turns in assignments on time, if at all."

Olivia clenched her jaw and turned to glance out the window. She knew Connor was having trouble lately, but she thought with the tutor she'd found for Sandra, that he'd be doing better in class. Obviously the bullying was making more of an impact than she thought. He was just like Oliver in that way, he was very good at burying his emotions. Very good at deflecting life's problems with sarcasm and snark. "He just lost his mother, how am I supposed to up root him and take him away from the only home he's ever known?"

"Are you going to move in and play soccer mom? You have a life, Olivia. You didn't ask for this responsibility. I'm trying to help here but I don't see what makes this all so personal for you."

"Sandy was my friend, Dad. Probably the closest friend I've ever had. Her son is alone in the world, but he's also the son of the only man I've ever loved. You're telling me I should just abandon him?"

"He's not Oliver's son. Not really."

Olivia shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. "If you'd told him years ago, he would have been."

"Have you seen him, Olivia? He's a mess. He just came back to us, don't do this. You tell him now, he'll only run again."

Standing on unsteady legs, Olivia clutched the brief containing, Connor's birth records, Sandra's will and financial statements to her chest. "I want to send him to Excelsior. It's where Oliver went and I will tell him the truth, Dad. Both of them. They deserve to know."

"Olivia?" Her father stood quickly, probably in attempt to reason with her once more but she left the office before he could physically detain her.  
**  
Sandra's apartment**

The school had allowed him the week off. The funeral was tomorrow and they spent the afternoon together in the small apartment, slowly going through his mother's things. The past few days had been rough on them both, for albeit different reasons, but she would do her best to conceal her physical aches so she wouldn't add to his worries. She'd started her training almost immediately after taking up Waller's offer and she was sporting welts all over, lucky for her, they were in places she could cover up without raising suspicion.

Olivia stopped making boxes and set the tape dispenser to one side. Making hot chocolate for the both of them, she came over to where he lay sprawled over the couch. "I want you to know that I'm here when ever you want to talk, Connor." The hospital's child psychiatrist had shown concern for Connor. He hadn't said a word to anyone since the shooting, save the chipped answers he'd given doctors about his injuries, and the police to assist in the investigation. "I know talking is probably the last thing you feel like doing now, but holding it all in isn't healthy. You need to vent, it's okay to be angry..."

"What's the point?" he bit out his voice heavy with bitterness. "The guy that shot her, the cops killed him. When they showed up, he still had the gun. They just kept on shooting. Only two got away."

Olivia knew a few of them had evaded police. She'd picked up that much when she'd gone down to the station to make her statement. Waller had assured her that the problem had been taken care of. She wasn't aware of the details and she felt better not knowing. However, the fact that the shooter was dead was a relief but also left her with an empty feeling. She could sense his frustration and his pain. He was bottling it all up. He was a boy of few words anyway, but in the past few days he hadn't spoken more than a handful of sentences. She wondered if she could handle his grief when he did crash out.

"Why did she do it?" Tears trailed down his cheeks and he didn't wipe them away. His nose started to run and he brushed his sleeve across his face with a jerk, before running his hands down his pants. "I was trying to protect her, why did she get in the way?"

Olivia squeezed his shoulder and offered him a mug. He took it but didn't drink it. Just held it between his hands, staring into the dark liquid and the curling steam. "You're her son, Connor. Not her protector. You could have been stronger, older or faster, and it wouldn't have made her decision any different. She would have done the same thing and so would I."

"She looked after me all by herself. I'm supposed to look out for her, who else is there but me?"

"You're thirteen, Connor. It's asking a lot, don't you think? All she wanted for you to worry about was making good grades and keeping good company. She wanted you to be happy. She never had much but she gave you everything she could and she loved you more than you'll probably ever understand. My Mom always tells me I won't really understand her love for me until I'm a parent myself," she finished softly. She was beginning to get the feeling that she was about to learn those lessons quickly, while being tossed in the deep end too.

Parents of young children always said to her that they wished they could turn back the clock. They'd have more sleep, worry less and have more time to themselves because their kids were infants and had simple needs. While first time parents of newborns wanted their kids to grow up so they could be more self sufficient, feed, dress and comfort themselves. While parents of teenagers wondered just how their parents survived with such rebellious and ungrateful children, and suddenly understood those strict rules and heartbroken looks their parents had given them once upon a time. She'd formed theories very quickly. Don't have children until you're ready for a life commitment of self sacrifice. Your life would never be the same. Of course even though there was a large weight of responsibility, emotional turmoil and exhaustion that came with raising children, there were also joys; witnessing the unconditional love and adoration of a child who thought you were the whole world and pride at seeing a life that was part of yourself.

Connor set the mug on the side table untouched and drew his legs up, propping his chin on his knees. He was still perched precariously on the arm of the sofa but Olivia didn't want to disturb him any further.

She got up and continued assembling boxes. They had the whole apartment to pack. They had yet to discuss his living situation. The rent had been paid up till the end of the month and Olivia had been sleeping on the sofa since she'd been discharged from the hospital. Connor had been so quiet and stormy faced that she didn't have the nerve to suggest staying at her place until they could work out a permanent solution. Until this morning, she wasn't aware that he had any other living relatives aside from his grandmother.

An hour later, she'd noticed that Connor had moved from his perch and was going through the contents of an old wooden trunk. She recognized it as being the one that had been at the end of Sandra's bed.

Packing the last of the kitchen pots in the box, she taped it shut, labeled it with a black marker and walked over to where he was sitting. "What did you find in there?" she asked curiously.

Connor didn't answer her, and she looked at what was in his lap. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw what he was looking at. It was a copy of his birth certificate, and a very tattered looking scrapbook. A scrapbook of clippings from newspaper articles, magazine interviews and profiles, online blogs, and pages on pages of clipped photographs. Some blurry, obviously telescopic shots, others clear as day. The most recent one was of Oliver walking out of her father's firm, his face half hidden behind dark glasses although it was obvious from the expression he wore that he was aware of just how grave his situation was. "Star City's Golden Boy Billionaire hits rock bottom," the headline read.

Olivia frowned. "Your mother kept all these?"

"Did you know?" he asked her, his eyes red rimmed but flashing with raw accusation. Connor snapped the scrapbook shut and dropped it back into the trunk. "She never told me. He's been out there all this time!"

Olivia put a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart. She'd been wondering how to start this conversation since picking him up from his grandmother's where he'd spent the morning while she'd been with her father. "Connor," she said quietly inching closer. "You know that I can't lie to save myself so I'm going to tell you straight. I didn't know until this morning, who your father was. And I can tell you that he doesn't know about you. Because if he did, I'm sure he would have tried to get to know you..."

"He has to know. He was there at the park," he said his voice dipping dangerously low, his eyes narrowing.

Olivia watched his hands curl into fists and she took her hand off his arm. "He was there to see me. We've known each other a long time."

"He didn't want me is that it? Didn't want kids to cramp his style? My mom told me that he didn't want kids. That he wasn't interested in anything but easy girls and drinking. I get it now."

Olivia shook her heard. "It's not like that. Oliver doesn't know about you. He's gone through a lot in his life, he had a really rough childhood and lost his parents when he was very young. He doesn't have a family like..."

"I don't care," he said suddenly, shooting to his feet. "I don't care about him. He wasn't there for Mom and he's never cared to know about me. He didn't even look at me that day at the park!"

Olivia swallowed and blinked back tears. That's where Connor was wrong, she had seen Oliver watching them. There wasn't any recognition in his eyes but there was curiosity. He hadn't known about Connor then, had he? Her father said he'd never told Oliver. "I think he'd like to get to know you," Olivia said softly.

Connor stiffened and didn't say anything. Olivia took his hand in hers and squeezed. "Don't shut me out Connor. We've only got each other."

"No," Connor said just as quietly. "You don't want me either. You want to send me to that boarding school." He shove the application of Excelsior into her lap.

She decided not to point out that going through her bag wasn't acceptable behavior and was a breech of trust and privacy but she thought she'd save that conversation for less volatile moment. "Only because I think you deserve the best education available. It's where Oliver went to school," she added. She'd promised she'd be honest with him, even if it might not be what he wanted to hear. Part of her knew he had to be as curious about Oliver as her friend would be about the boy, if he knew. Maybe this could be a stepping stone for preparing them for a future meeting. If he saw a little of Oliver's past it might help him understand him a little better.

"Do you want me to go?" Connor asked, the question almost a growl. He abruptly stood up to pace.

"My job is going to take me away from the city, either way you'll get up rooted. At least going to Excelsior will be a responsible move." Also true, she reasoned to herself. "Where I'm going, it's even more dangerous than this part of the city can be."

Connor eyed her strangely, his eyebrows bunching together. "Is this your way of punishing yourself for what happened to Mom? Do you want to die too? You're a doctor, you can work anywhere, why do you have to go somewhere dangerous?"

"Like I said, it's a placement. I didn't choose the destination."

"But you chose the job, right? You didn't have an idea of where they might want you to go?"

Olivia bit the inside of her cheek. She took in his wide eyed fear and the trembling he tried not to show. She didn't want him to worry, but it was too late to change anything now. She had known what the job would entail. It was a price she'd willingly accepted, of course that was before she knew that she was Connor's guardian.

"I'll go with you. I want to go with you."

"Connor," Olivia said her eyebrows drawing together. She could feel a headache coming on. "Please don't argue with me on this. If you don't want to go to Excelsior, you don't have to, we can choose another good prep school but I can't let you come to Gotham City with me."

"So I am baggage to you." Connor folded his arms and dropped down heavily onto the coffee table. The timber cracked a little under the force of his weight and they both flinched at the sound.

Olivia leaned forward and took his hands. "You know that's not true so don't even think that."

"Why do you have to go?"

"I took this job so that what happened to your mom, won't happen to someone else. We'll never be able to stop all that's wrong with the world, but if I can do my part to change it, I will. I should have died, but I didn't. My body has a strange defensive ability. There are people who are helping me hone it so I can use it to protect others and serve our country."

"So you're going to be like a secret agent or something?" Connor asked speculatively, one eyebrow arching high.

"There are people out there with dangerous abilities, some are using them to hurt people. Police and regular enforcement can't stop them, but with training, maybe I can. You know I'm not the type of person that can stand by and do nothing when people need help."

Connor nodded once and frowned deeply. "I don't want to go to boarding school. Can't I keep going to Central High? I could stay with Nanna," he suggested, his expression brightening.

"She's almost completely blind Connor, she can barely care for herself. Afternoon stays she can manage but all day, every day?" She watched his face fall and felt her pain in her chest. She didn't want him to be unhappy, he was having a rough time as it was, but she always looked at the situation to it's full extent. He needed to accept his circumstances and take one step at a time to move forward, not stall. "Even you know that your Mom struggled with that on her own. Just give it one week. You can call me day or night and if after one week you completely hate it, I'll come get you and we'll work something else out. Maybe I could persuade my parents to let you stay with them..."

Connor snorted. "Your parents are nice, Liv, but I don't think I could handle being around them all the time. They're way too old."

Olivia's eyes widened in confusion. "Old?"

"They talk about musicals and ballet like it's the coolest thing, and she makes me drink tea," he said with a shudder. "Don't get me started on that rabbit food..."

"Hey," Olivia argued. "That's good for you."

"Whatever," Connor shrugged with an eye roll, the corner of his lips tugging upward with a smirk.

Olivia blinked. How had she missed it all these years? He had Oliver's mouth, the impulsive twitch grin and she looked away quickly before tears pooled in her eyes. All these years the two of them had missed getting to know one another. 'But would Oliver have been ready years ago,' her brain countered. 'Probably not.' She patted Connor's back lightly. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Can we get pizza?"

Olivia sighed. "I'll have to go across town to get the organic kind but okay."

Connor moaned. "Can't we have regular pepperoni and cheese?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'll get you that coronary inducing box of grease, but just this once. I'm going to be a responsible guardian. I'm warning you, Connor, I'm no pushover."

"Ah huh. Can I have Pepsi, too? Please," he said giving her a watery eyed pleading face.

She threw up her hands. "This is the last time I'm asking you what you want for dinner. Tomorrow, you'll eat what I give you, Mister. Or you'll go hungry."

Olivia collected her keys from the counter and her jacket from the back of the chair. "Don't open the door for anyone. I'll be back in fifteen and you have my number."

**Three weeks later**

Olivia entered the bar and shed her thick wool coat. It was frigid weather in Gotham City at night. It had to be the proximity to the harbor that made the temperature drop so quickly once the sun went down. After the funeral she'd driven Connor up to school. She'd left instructions with his home room teacher to keep her updated weekly and to call her if there were any problems straight away. It had been a painfully long four hour drive up but she'd used bathroom and a fuel stop as an excuse to hide the need to stretch out and rub down her sore muscles. She was black and blue from all her training. Waller had signed her up for combat training with their best operative. The woman was taller than most men she knew and strong as linebacker without the build. She was deceptively strong, with the agility of a gazelle, but the striking precision of a viper. Half the attacks she didn't see coming but after a few sessions she'd learned to anticipate Diana's moves. She learned her style and it wasn't long before she'd landed her first counter attack, putting her teacher on the mat.

The victory didn't last long however, because as soon as she'd mastered hand to hand, they'd moved onto weapons. Diana wielding said weapon, while she had to figure out how to defend herself and relieve her mentor of her weapon. Hence the many bruises. It wasn't until the third day of feeling beaten to a boneless pulp that Diana explained what she was trying to do.  
_  
"Waller, wants you to find your trigger. To use your ability. Sense when you're feeling the drain and counteract it. Dr. Hamilton is working on a discrete delivery system that will stop you from slipping into a coma."_

Five days after beginning her sessions with Diana, she'd finally figured out how to switch on. After that they'd studied her changes with special instruments in Emil's lab. He'd used similar tests to determine Bart's capabilities. While Bart shifted his molecules through intense vibration. She could restructure her's through thought, creating a dense, impenetrable shield. The energy drain on her body however was intense. While Bart also had an extremely fast metabolism, he could wolf down his energy requirements with ease. They had to formulate a different, effective and efficient injection system to suit her needs. The longest she could sustain the change without a break in between and nutrient booster was five minutes. The excess sweating post change also put a strain on her hydration levels but not enough to have her passing out.

Emil had created a discrete delivery system that held interchangeable cartridges. It detected her glucose and serotonin levels and if they dropped to a critical level, a booster shot was secreted directly into her blood stream from a tap in her spine. It would allow her to remain lucid long enough to eat something and rehydrate without falling unconscious. Emil cautioned that she shouldn't push the five minute barrier though, even if it seemed likely that she could sustain her altered status for longer with the booster system.

Training with Diana had given her new defensive skills and had strengthened and defined muscles that hadn't been fully worked since high school. So even in this dark and spooky city, she felt oddly calm. Taking a seat on the stool at the end of the bar, she put her coat over her lap and scanned the drinks menu while she waited for Bart to appear.

Oliver sat in the high backed booth and spun the empty pitcher in the middle of the table. Being sober was overrated in his opinion. As part of his self imposed rehab he was testing himself, how long he could avoid drinking. If he had the self control to avoid social and stress induced drinking, if he could confront his issues without the aid of an alcohol induced, emotionally numb haze. Being at the Monastery had dulled the memory of the taste of hard liquor but being in a bar was his second real test since returning. They'd served champagne by the case at Wayne's Gala Dinner but he hadn't touched a glass.

Victor eyed him with a smirk. "Are you still sulking over the fact that Chloe didn't like the lunch you brought her?"

"No," Oliver growled. He ran a hand through his hair. He'd already stayed in Gotham longer than he'd planned. He wanted to go back to Star City and start sorting out his affairs, not to mention that he shouldn't put off talking to Olivia and getting the full work up on the Justice League situation from Bart any longer. "Do you think you can finish the rest of Brother I project on your own?"

Victor narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Sure, but why? I thought you wanted to get the skinny on Lex and Bruce's plans on tracking down that meteor rock shipment first?"

"Bruce will get to the bottom of that mystery on his own. He's a problem solver, always has been. As for Lex, I think I've got a better source."

"Oh yeah, who? Besides the redhead he's got doing his dirty work for him, Lex runs a pretty tight ship. Very few survive to spill secrets from his inner circle."

"A friend of mine got picked up by Lex a few months ago. He wanted information out of her, as far as I know he didn't get it but Bart and the new JL, have been tracking him ever since."

Victor's eyebrows met his hairline. "Why am I just hearing this now?"

"It wasn't about the League. He was after me," Oliver pounded the table with his fist. "He wanted me and he tried to use her as bait. Only I wouldn't take it. Bart and a couple of friends rescued her. I wasn't even there. I was... I didn't do anything to help."

Victor grimace. He knew that look Oliver was sporting right now. If he let it, the guilt would swallow him whole. He'd seen it after Oliver had killed Lex. Or after his attempt to kill Lex. They still weren't sure if the new Lex was the clone or if he'd killed a clone and the real Lex had been in hiding up until now. Unlike the members of the League, Victor had known from the moment it happened. Oliver had asked him to trace the feed to Lex's mobile transport. He'd seen Oliver plant the bomb and had been miles away, powerless to stop him. He'd seen what the weight of what act had done to his friend afterward. He had became two different people. Neither of which were the Oliver Queen he'd grown to respect as a leader or a friend. It had taken Oliver a severe butt whooping, losing Jimmy, near bankruptcy and soul searching wherever he'd gone, to come back to himself. Now the self loathing and disorientation trip looked about to start all over again. "Is she okay?"

Oliver nodded numbly, glancing around the place that was decorated with shamrock on every available surface and hanging from streamers attached to the rafters. Being of Irish descent he felt obligated to be out tonight but he wasn't feeling the celebratory mood.

"Then what are you waiting around here for? If I were you, I'd be on my knees kissing the earth she walked on for standing up to a murderous creep like Luthor."

Oliver laughed dryly. "She's not the type that appreciates grand gestures."

Victor slapped his hand over the jug to stop it from spinning. He gave Oliver a pointed look. "Why do I get the impression that what happen with Chloe triggered something else? All that moping, wanting to leap to her defense, it was never about Chloe. This was always about your friend. Or maybe I should say, she's more than a friend."

Oliver glared at Victor. "She's just a friend."

"But you're hoping she could be more," Victor argued.

Oliver sat back and scowled, folding his arms over his chest.

"Knew it," Victor laughed triumphantly at Oliver petulant expression. "Whoa," Victor breathed in exclamation, his eyes widening, his mouth pulling into a broad grin. "Way to go, man."

Oliver turned in his seat to see what Victor was grinning about, his stomach hit the floor.

Bart pulled back with a broad cheeky grin, while Olivia blinked across at him, her whole body frozen.

"Aww come on, it couldn't have been that bad," Bart moaned with a small frown.

Olivia let out a nervous laugh. "No, it's not that it's just...you really surprised me."

"Hey, I'm not the one wearing the T-shirt that says 'Kiss Me, I'm Irish'. I can't have been the first person to lay one on you," he argued with a chuckle, but he sobered quickly at her expression. "Seriously?"

Olivia smiled a little and shrugged finally finding motor control again. Swiveling to face the bar, she lifted one shoulder in a self explanatory gesture. "I only finished up work a hour ago and I've been wearing a jacket until just before now."

"I guess I've got to make up for the rest of the oblivious male population then," he said looming in closer with a devious twinkle in his eye.

Olivia put a staying hand on his chest and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Once was enough, Bart. Anything more and we're crossing out of friendship territory into something else."

Bart let his shoulders slump and dropped into the stool next to her. "Kill joy."

"Can I talk to you?"

Olivia looked up, her eyes widening. "Oliver?"

"Imagine my surprise seeing you here. Not hunting me down to drag me back home are you?" he said humorlessly, while eying Bart with a cool glare.

Olivia blinked and smiled nervously. He'd seen Bart's kiss, that much seemed obvious but why was he acting jealous. "I'm here for work."

"And you, Bart?"

"I almost forgot you two know each other... well Bart's here because..." before she could make up a plausible excuse for him, Bart cut in.

"I'm here on a case, we're working forensics with the Gotham City P.D."

"Ah huh," Oliver said it in a way that implied he didn't believe word of Bart's cover, and Olivia silently mused if he knew Bart was a speedster.

"Hey, Bart, long time no see. Come join me for a drink, while we let these two catch up, huh?" Victor said appearing at Bart's shoulder.

Bart sent her a questioning look, and Olivia nodded. She needed to talk to Oliver anyway. She'd forgotten that he was in town seeing friends. She watched as Bart followed the young African American with an easy smile and friendly tone before turning back to look up at Oliver. "You plan on sticking around Gotham for awhile then?" she asked.

Oliver shook his head. "I was actually planning to head back next week."

"Hey darlin'."

Olivia didn't have any warning as strong arms hoisted her out of her stool, and planted a big wet kiss on her lips. She had the air pushed out of her lungs in his crushing embrace and was knocked off her feet when the burly man lost his grip on her.

"Watch the hands, buddy," Oliver growled at him, shoving him back.

The grinning Irishman that was almost a head taller than Oliver and built like a wall, looked him up at down dismissively. "Sorry, lad, didn't know the lady was spoken for. She can't go around dressed in that if she isn't expecting some lovin' attention from the likes of us men."

Olivia watched a shade of red creep up Oliver's neck, his hands curled into fists. Before he could swing, she stepped between them. Keeping a firm grip on Oliver's flexing bicep underneath his emerald colored, cotton shirt, she fished in her jean pockets for some money. With a wave to the bartender, she said, "A round for all the boys." There was a riot of cheers and she pressed the folded hundred dollar bills into the bartender's hand. "Let's go," she said tugging on Oliver's arm.

Shrugging into her jacket as she exited the pub, she felt him curl his hand around her arm. "What were you thinking wearing that T-shirt?"

"I don't know, feeling the impish holiday charm?"

Oliver groaned. "Do you enjoy tormenting me?"

Olivia stopped walked and turned to face him. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest. He did look tormented now that she took in his expression. Especially his eyes. "What happened?"

"You. It's what happened to you. I'm so sorry, Liv," he pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his nose in her riotous curls.

Olivia put her arms around him and felt him trembling. "I'm okay. I'm fine." She thought he must have read about the attack in the paper. The media had all but pounced on them, at least they'd managed to keep Connor out of the media spotlight. She didn't want to expose him to that circus while he was trying to sort through the pain of his mother's death. "It was Sandra and Connor that... he's coping but I don't think he's ever going to be the same. You weren't."

Oliver pulled back and looked at her in confusion. "Who's Sandra?"

Olivia frowned. "I thought you knew about the assault? Sandra Hawke, my friend? They were both at the park that first day you came back. You... What are you talking about?"

"Lex, he..." he frowned lost in thought for a moment. Something Richard had told him. Then remembered and he wanted to slap himself in the head. Her father had said she didn't remember her abduction.

"Lex?" she asked quizzically. "Lex died almost two years ago. Although his influence continues to haunt every facet of the world I live in," she joked lightly. "He wore many masks and had various unsavory talents, I'm sure, but reaching beyond the grave I think that's a stretch even for him."

Oliver ground his jaw and put an arm around her shoulders, hugging her to his side as they walked. "You're right, it's just old nightmares. You remember Duncan Allenmeyer, don't you?" he said quietly.

"Yes. I know you feel guilty about what happened to him Oliver but we can't undo the past. We can only learn from our mistakes and hope we don't make the same ones in the future."

"I made mistakes with us."

Olivia laughed. "No, you didn't. If we'd slept together when I was sixteen, it probably would have been me instead of Sandy, and Dad would have a had a heart attack. And Mom would have found a way to make you impotent."

Oliver stopped walking and froze. His brain processing every word she'd just said in micro detail. "We nearly..." His brain seem to be sticking a gear. How could he forget something like that? And the second part... the part about her friend. He'd slept with her friend and something had resulted. A mistake? His eyes widened. That's why she'd looked at him like she'd wanted to roast him alive in the park.

_"I'm pregnant," the young woman said succinctly. She was dressed in a floral print loose shirt and washed out jeans. She looked completely out of place on the strip outside the club and the girls hanging off his arm in skimpy dresses had laughed her off._

_"Honey, I'm sure he's heard that one before," the blonde one had purred before she burst into shrieking laughter._

_"Prove it's mine. Paternity test. Until then, stay away from me."_

He shook his head at the memory. He'd been so cold to her. Granted as his arm candy had not so delicately put it, it wasn't the first confrontation of the sort he'd had, so he'd lumped her with the rest of the money grabbing young women he'd been with. But youth and jaded experiences didn't excuse his behavior. Obviously, Olivia believed her and Sandra had gone through with the pregnancy. He had a son. Connor, if he was remembering the boy's name correctly.

"Connor's..." he trailed off, not quite grasping the concept. Oliver Queen - the monumental screw up, the alcoholic, womanizer, sometimes do-gooder, modern-day Robin Hood - had a kid.

Olivia hadn't meant for it to come out like this. She'd wanted to warm him up to the idea first. Gauge his thoughts on the idea of family and such before springing it on him. She was reluctant to introduce him to Connor, she wanted to be sure he wouldn't disappoint the kid with empty promises or worse, regard him with disinterest. It was the first time that she'd ever said anything without thinking it through to it's fullest extent before. She blamed it on Oliver's ability to unsettle her. "Connor's your son," she finished for him.

Oliver took her by the arms and stared down at her. "How long have you known? Does he know?"

He was squeezing her arms pretty tightly but she didn't really feel it considering all her focus was on the wild look in his eyes. "I found out after Sandra died. She was shot during the assault and she didn't survive her wounds. I've known about two weeks. I told Connor as soon as I found out. He's curious about you but I think he'll need time to warm up to the idea of meeting you. He and his mom did it tough, even though Dad did try to help."

"Richard, knew. All this time and he never said anything..."

"Okay, before you fly off the handle, ask yourself about the possibility of how many illegitimate children you might have out there. You've lead a pretty promiscuous life Oliver. After everything he's ever done for you, you don't get to judge him. I don't agree with what he did and that's why I'm telling you, but leave the past alone. Nothing good ever came from digging through old wounds.

"From the birth certificate I found, Connor was born while you were missing. She must have confronted you before you disappeared."

Oliver nodded, feeling numb. "He must hate me."

Olivia folded her arms across her chest. "Hate's a pretty strong word."

Oliver raised his eyebrow. "Okay," he said disbelieving her.

Olivia dropped her arms and looped one through his. "Now that I know the connections there, there's so much of you in him. He's stubborn, hot headed, cheeky and he has your eyes, your mouth, he's tall.. okay he's pretty much just a dark-haired bronze version of you. But he has his mother's wicked sense of humor and he's smart," she teased.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "I wasn't accepted into Cal for my charm."

"No, it was the money."

Oliver elbowed her in the ribs. Olivia laughed and danced away still attached to his arm. "Just kidding, I know your gray matter isn't dead space."

"Where are you staying?"

It was an innocent but loaded question, she could tell by the dark look in his eyes. If he needed someone to stand next to him, to hold him and proved some measure of support, someone to ground him, she could do that, but she wouldn't wear her heart on her sleeve. And she wasn't that sixteen-year-old girl girl anymore, she didn't look at him like her whole world orbited around him. She'd tried to deny it, she'd tried to tell herself that she was smarter than that, but in the end he'd only been able to cut so deep because she'd had stars in her eyes. He was flawed, he made more wrong choices than he ever did right but still she'd fallen head over feet for him. A school girl crush had turned into a full fledged soap opera in her heart. One that seemed obvious to everyone but him. She wouldn't do that to herself. She was done waiting for him, had been years ago when she'd let herself date, even if they had ended up a social embarrassment for her. She'd been called a prude, frigid, even a dyke but she didn't care. She'd find her prince charming eventually, one that would sweep her off her feet and make her feel like a princess. There was such a thing as happily ever after, she'd bore witness to it for the past thirty years and counting.

"They set me up with an apartment. I assume you're staying at a motel, right?" At his nod, she tugged him in the direction of the station. "A five minute ride on the express. Come on."

They'd talked sitting curled against each other till dawn peeked through the window. She'd asked him about his time abroad and he'd told her about the monastery and monk training. She'd laughed at the thought of him bald and ribbed him over his anecdotes about training in Kyudo. Teasing that he'd always boasted to be an expert marksmen. Who could teach him anything new and humble him enough to want to take instruction, she had to meet this person.

In turn, she'd told him of her first memory of Sandra and Connor. Of special moments she'd witnessed as he'd grown up and the birthday's she'd been around to celebrate. She told him what a wonderful job Sandra had done raising Connor and what a bright and talented boy he was. As the night drew on she could see that he was warming to the idea of a son. At one point she thought she might have caught a glimpse of pride in his eyes.

Olivia'd gotten up to pull down the blinds as the sun seeped into the room, and she'd asked Oliver if he wanted coffee. He'd mumbled something and she turned around to look at him. He'd fallen asleep with his head on the back of the sofa, just dropping out mid-sentence. She smiled and shifted sideways to stretch out across the couch.

She had a full case load today but she could probably squeeze in a couple hours sleep before she had to head in. When she reappeared showered and dressed three hours later, Oliver was snoring lightly, face first in the cushions, his arms slung over the side of the sofa.

Today, she would be going over cold case files with Checkmate's liaison at Metro HQ for possible metahuman ties. It was all an old paper system so the work was grueling but comforting. She liked the tangible and anything non-electronic was always more friendly to her.

Scribbling him a note, Olivia set out some breakfast items for him to eat. She took her shot, her protein shake, power bar and extra bottle of water and headed out the door.


	15. Unacceptable Risk

**Acknowledgments: **Thank you to** sxymami0909** for the beta =)

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Robinson Park, Gotham City**

Chloe sat next to Oliver on the park bench. "So I hear you're a Dad," she mused with the hint of a smile.

He was lucky that Olivia had told him when she did or he would have found out from the tabloids that had splashed the scandal all over Star City and then some. Not that he took any notice of the news they printed about him anyway, even if they did have a grain of truth to them 80 percent of the time. He grimaced.

"I haven't met the kid yet."

"I think you'll make a fantastic father, Ollie. If you set your mind to it."

"Oh yeah, between job hunting, moonlighting in green and trying to keep up with the new League as we try to take down Lex again and every other big bad, I'll have heaps of time to get to know a hormonal teenage son and hope he doesn't want to punch my lights out."

Chloe snorted. "Okay, when you put it that way. On the upside, you have Olivia," she teased with an overly bright smile.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I get the impression that all you and Victor do is gossip about us all behind our backs."

"Only if it's from a credible source," Chloe said smiling around her mouthful of tandoori chicken wrap. "By the way, I heard you were heading back to Star City too."

Oliver folded his arms over his chest and glared across at her. "Does nothing escape the Chlvictor daily column?"

Chloe chewed quickly and swallowed, her eyes watering as the large chunk of food worked its way down her throat. Cough and thumping her chest, she watched him as he looked anything by sympathetic to her plight. "You make it sound like we enjoy ourselves. Okay so we do, most of the time," she added with a chuckle. "But can you blame us? Our significant others are more than a little obsessed with their jobs."

Oliver sent a look skyward and resisted the urge to snort. "Like you two are any less career driven. Says, Ms Sullivan, 'I work through lunch'," he mimicked in a light haughty voice.

Chloe punched his shoulder and Oliver rubbed it with a scowl. Lois and Chloe shared more than blood it seemed. It included a penchant for hitting him.

"I do not sound like that. And just because I can't be your Girl Friday, doesn't mean I'm work obsessed. I've got two years of missed journalism to make up for."

"Isn't it good enough that you're not in the basement?"

Chloe smirked. "The Gotham Herald doesn't have a basement office. I'm just one step above a copy boy, I'm the unofficial tadpole in the pond."

"If anyone can work their way to the top and not sleep with the boss, it's you Chloe," he said with a wink.

Chloe punched him again for the veiled jab at Lois and also for even giving voice to the idea. "Thanks so much for the vote of confidence." Taking another large bite out of her lunch wrap, she chewed properly this time before speaking. "So are you going back for the end of term break? I hear Olivia's taking time off from that oober hush job she has at MCU. She's reporting directly to the Commissioner, even Renee doesn't know who she's representing or how she's qualified. I thought she worked in Peds?"

Oliver shrugged. "Olivia could be pretty much anything she set her mind to. She's got the brain power. Kind of reminds me of that old show where the guy could become anyone. The only thing she's not good at is lying. She just can't keep a straight face and she buckles under the pressure."

"You sure it's not just you? And yeah, the Pretender, I remember it. Only he didn't really lie outright. He let people make their own assumptions, a lie by omission mostly."

"What do you mean, by just me?"

Chloe huffed and flicked her bangs from her eyes. "I thought you'd clued in already. She's hardly over you."

Oliver flexed his hands in his lap and hazarded a glance at her. "You think?"

Chloe reached over and squeezed his shoulder. Regarding him thoughtfully, she smiled. "If you care about her, Ollie, just show her. You've never been great with expressing when you care about someone, but it doesn't have to be in words."

He nodded and looked out at the fountain across from them. Robinson Park was nice. Not as pretty as a lot of the parks in Star City, but it was tranquil in its own way. It certainly provided a sheltered escape from the smog and bustle of the streets Gotham. Since the mid-morning he'd woken up in her apartment alone, he hadn't seen her. They spoke on the phone regularly but it was either she was working too late to go out for dinner or off on cases with detectives when he tried to catch her for lunch. Rather than hang around at her desk at the precinct at the risk of seeming like a complete no-hoper to her, he'd only tried the co-lunch idea twice. Instead he clung to the idea that she really was busy and was interested in his life despite their lack of face time. She returned every call he made, and occasionally made contact of her own.

As if by magic, she must have sensed his thoughts because his phone lit up bearing her name. Grinning to himself and answered, "Hey."

_"Hi Ollie," she said. _He could hear the smile in her voice._ "I'm heading back to Star City this afternoon for two weeks. I'm picking up Connor tomorrow morning. Did you want to meet him? I was thinking we could go to the carnival on the Star Pier. They always put on a great show around this time of year."_

Oliver felt his heart skitter in his chest. "Do you think it's a good idea? Is he ready for that?" _Am I ready for that?_ He added silently.

_"I'll bring it up on the drive back and confirm. How's that work for you?"_

"I don't know. If you think he'll be okay with it."

He could picture her shrugging during that pause. _"He's been doing really well at school and the e-mails he's been writing gives me the impression that he'd like to meet you, so yeah. I think so. Just be yourself, Oliver. You don't have to try to be anything. Just let him get to know you. Have fun. I know you remember how to do that," she said with a soft laugh._

**Star City**

The carnival trip turned out to be a lot easier than he thought. Aside from the initial introduction with a little awkwardness, when he'd picked them up Olivia had managed to get them both to relax and have fun. They'd visited almost every stall and Oliver had tried very hard not to beam with pride when Connor had picked up a bow like a natural and hit the target with all three arrows. Granted none of them had hit the bulls-eye but it was the first time he'd used a bow, all he needed was practice.

"You look like you enjoyed that," Oliver teased the boy as he offered him some more popcorn.

Connor waved way the box. "I'm stuffed. I think all the salt's made me thirsty."

"Here," Olivia handed him an extra bottle of water.

"For soda, Mom," he drawled.

Olivia stopped walking and stared as Connor continued to walk on. He turned back at her and shoved his hands in his jean pockets with one corner of his mouth pulled up in a half smile. "It's okay, right? I mean you're not Mom - Mom but you've always been around and I feel disrespectful calling you Liv now that you're, well lookin' out for me." He shrugged again and rubbed the back of his neck in a manner that mirrored Oliver's tell tale nervous gesture.

Olivia reached his side in two long strides and hugged him under her arm with a squeeze. Soon she wouldn't be able to do that without him hunching, or stretching up on her toes, he was growing like weed. "I'll never take her place, Connor, but I'm totally fine with you calling me, Mom." She blushed deeply and blinked back tears, leaning over she kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair. "So what do you want to do tomorrow?"

Connor looked sheepish and appealed to her with his wide chocolate brown eyes. "I was kinda hoping I could hang out with the guys from SCC? I've been texting Brett and Genna, and they're going blading down Sunshine Strip for the day."

Olivia nodded and smiled. "You keep your phone on you and be back before 6." He looked like he was about to protest that but she gave him a pointed stare. "You're thirteen, Connor. Don't push your luck."

He kicked at a pebble with the toe of his shoe and nodded, his long fringe falling into his eyes. She reached over and brushed it back.

"I want you to think about a haircut too. I'm sure we can pick a style that you'll like aside from long and shaggy."

He rolled his eyes at her and groaned. "Mom never cared about my hair."

Olivia laughed. "Oh she did, believe me, she just couldn't be bothered trying to wrestle a boy who towered over her into a barber shop. I'm not 5'4" and I will strong arm you if I have too. Excelsior has a uniform code and you're borderline, Mister. I despise archaic conformity rubbish but in this case they have a point. If you can't see, how can you learn?"

Connor blew at a lock of hair that had fallen over his eyes and grumbled under his breath. "Fine," he growled lightly. "But I'm not getting it cut like him. All the guys have their hair like that."

"What's wrong with spikey? I think it's nice," Olivia reasoned, admiring the way Oliver's blond locks were trimmed very close to his head. She wondered if it was a soft as it appeared.

Connor snorted and walked off in the direction of the ball toss stall.

"I'm a him now?" Oliver said quirking an eyebrow, he didn't look encouraged.

Olivia took his hand and squeezed it, tugging them into a walk, following in Connor's direction. "Read between the lines, Oliver. Everyone knows you're his father now. Those are big shoes to fill, not to mention you were kind of notorious in your youth. At least the teachers at Excelsior have given him the benefit of the doubt and not cast him as the trouble maker the second he enrolled. I think it helped that Dad growled at them a little. Connor just wants to assert himself, form his own identity, let people make judgments about him on his terms without preconceived notions."

"You got all that from one comment," he asked his lips pulling into a smirk.

Olivia grinned widely. "And a lot of side long glances, e-mails and other stuff. He's more than a little curious about you. Maybe even idolizes you a bit. I think all boys view their fathers that way. Just give it time, he'll open up."

Oliver pulled her closer and kissed her temple. "You're great with him by the way."

Olivia stopped walking and hugged him, tilting her head back so she could see into his eyes. "Thank you. It means a lot that you think that. I never wanted to have this role in his life. Never thought I'd be needed in this way but it's what Sandra wanted and I love Connor already, so it just made sense to accept it."

Oliver nodded leaned in closer to breathe her in. She smelled of wildflowers and home, everything he remembered and now all that he wanted and wasn't sure he could ever have. He put his cheek against her hair. "I'm glad it's you." In his heart he wanted to say more but he wasn't sure she was ready to hear it. To her it would probably sound forced. Like it was something she expected him to say but not mean genuinely. He wanted to tell her that he was glad she was Connor's guardian, in the hope that someday they'd make it all official together.

"Connor already thinks of you as his Mom. Guardianship isn't the same as adoption but..."

Olivia pulled back a little and looked up at him. "You know for a girl who grew up with her father reading law books over the breakfast table, it never even occurred to me that there was a difference. I always thought that once I accepted responsibility for Connor that it would be for life. But once he turns 18, I guess, if he doesn't want me, he doesn't have to stick around," she finished softly without looking at Oliver anymore.

It had only been a few months since Sandra had died but they seemed to have accepted each other wholeheartedly and to Oliver it only seemed fair that they air where exactly things went from here on out. As Connor's biological father he did have parental rights but he didn't want to encroach on what Olivia had formed with Connor and he didn't think he'd win any points with the boy if he decided to force those rights anyway but he also remembered what it felt like not knowing his place in the world.

While the Kings had taken him under their wing, they'd never adopted him. He had often wondered why. Richard had watched out for him as long as he could remember and they'd always been really supportive and welcoming throughout his troubled youth. Perhaps they had wanted him kept at a distance. Or maybe Hannah had been the one keeping him adrift. She was very protective of Olivia almost oppressively so, dictating the friends she kept, where she went, what she ate, how she dressed. He shook his head, it was a wonder she'd turned out so normal.

"I'd like to adopt him, would you be all right with that?"

"I think it would be good for him, to have security," Oliver said sincerely with a nod.

"Okay, then," she said smiling.

They'd spent the rest of the evening just strolling around together. Oliver had managed to buy hot dogs from a vegetarian place that made the most delicious, not overly chewy or stringy meat substitutes that she'd ever sampled. Even Connor hadn't grumbled at all once he'd actually tried it. On the ride home, Connor had actually fallen asleep, and she'd had to shake him awake. Oliver had offered to help her take him up, but Olivia had pulled a face.

"He's a teenager, I don't think he'd appreciate it. Besides, it's late. You should get going."

Oliver resisted the impulse to betray his disappointment. He'd been kidding himself with the idea that she'd invite him up the whole drive back. Olivia came from a home that had rules and strong morals. If she'd considered sleeping with him when they'd been teens wildly reckless, it was even less likely now that she was supposed to be a role model. Not to mention the fact that she probably wanted to establish boundaries like no sleepovers.

Couldn't have one rule for herself and another set for Connor could she? Truthfully, he knew they were miles away from taking that step but he was horny damn it. He'd been in forced celibacy for the past eight months. The longest he'd had a dry spell was years ago while stranded on that sandy, leech-infested island. Tess had the unfortunate role of being the first beautiful, available and willing woman he had bedded. He'd screwed that relationship up royally. Perhaps waiting, taking things slow was the best approach he could take. He could hardly afford to mess up his relationship with Olivia this time. And he didn't want to.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" he asked casually.

"I might be. All depends on how our talk goes. I could be heading off to see Dad." Olivia winked at him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Night Ollie."

"Connor, I had fun tonight, we should go out sometime again soon."

"Yeah, sure," Connor said tiredly.

"Goodnight, guys."

Olivia smiled encouragingly at Oliver and guided her young charge in the direction of the building. She waved one last time before turning away and walking up the stairs.

Oliver watched them disappear inside before sliding the stick into gear and pulling out from the curb. He figured if he was ever going to work on what was building between them he needed more face time. Phone tag and the occasional date every few weeks wasn't going to cut it. She was headed back to Gotham as soon as the school break was up, he has two weeks to convince her that they could be something together.

**Olivia's apartment**

Over breakfast the next morning, before Connor took off with his friends, she broached the subject of adoption with him. He looked at her in confusion.

"I thought it was already all legal?"

"I'm your guardian, yes, but adoption is a little different. If I adopt you, you're stuck with me," she joked lightly, her eyes glittering while she smiled hopefully at him.

Connor grinned around his mouthful of cereal and dropped the spoon back in the bowl. He narrowed his eyes at her while he smiled at her cheekily. "Are you saying that I could have run off at 18 and the cops would leave me alone?"

Olivia swallowed and did her best the calm her racing heartbeat at the thought. "If you wanted to, yes, you would be within your rights to do that."

"I guess I'd be okay with being stuck with you," he said with a lazy smile. "But only if you let me eat pepperoni pizza every week."

Olivia scoffed at his words and pushed his hair from his eyes. "You know one of these days you'll wolf down so much ground up animal that you'll swear it off for life. Then all will be right in my world."

Connor snorted with laughter and picked up his bowl before walking over to the sink. He put the dish in the soapy water and washed it before setting it in the rack to dry. He turned to her and arched an eyebrow. "Do I have to do anything?"

"Not yet. My Dad will handle all the paperwork and when it's all ready to be finalized we get to go before a judge. Of course, Oliver will have to sign authority too but..."

"Why?"

"Because he's your biological father and to adopt you I need his consent."

Connor just nodded wordlessly and Olivia got the feeling that she'd just said the wrong thing.

"Of course, he wouldn't be giving up his rights as your father. It just means I'll be your legal parent too."

Connor only nodded, still staring out the window. Suddenly he turned and hugged her impulsively before grabbing his backpack from the floor. "I like the idea of you as my Mom," he grinned impishly. "It'll give me a good excuse to wail on those guys that keep making rude comments about you without it looking like I have a crush on you or something."

Olivia felt her face reddened and her eyes widened. "They can't be serious?" Putting her hand to her mouth, she dipped her head in embarrassment. "You know what, I don't want to know. Just...Keep safe and don't be late." She waved him off and he ran out the door before she could say anything else.

With a sigh, Olivia got out of her chair and washed the remaining dishes before pulling the plug from the sink.

Olivia spent the rest of the morning putting together the paperwork to get the adoption process started and took the document she needed to get Oliver to sign. She was on the street and about to call him when Bart appeared and took her arm.

"I heard from a credible source that you have a metabolism like mine, so how 'bout we do lunch?"

Olivia put the phone back into her bag and slung the straps over her shoulder. She linked her arm through Bart's and set about walking to a nearby restaurant. "What have we discussed about you randomly popping up outside of an emergency?" she said softly.

Bart groaned. "I know, but I'm careful and it's hard to put the breaks on okay. I promise I only zip out when nobody will notice."

"Bart, someone's always watching. You think you're inconspicuous but you're not. I love that you can come visit me whenever but we have to separate lightening patterned spandex from Bart Allen."

"It's not spandex," he said planting his feet and taking his arm from hers to cross his arms over his chest. He frowned at her.

"And what am I supposed to say to Connor when he asks what kind of car you drive to cope with all the miles you cover from here to San Fran on a regular basis?"

Bart laughed. "The kid's not gonna ask that..."

"He's taking lessons, Bart and I'm considering buying him a car. It's the current topic of discussion aside from me adopting him."

Bart chewed his lip at that and glanced away before responding. "What does Oliver think about that?"

"He thinks it'll be good for Connor to have that stability in his life. I know Oliver would be great with him but Connor doesn't know him. He's more comfortable staying with me and he's a great kid. He's no trouble at all."

"Sure, I guess."

Olivia didn't get the impression that he disapproved but this was something she wouldn't be dissuaded on. The people involved were happy about, and that meant she was happy. Even if her mother had given her a long suffering sigh over the phone when her father had phoned her in on their conversation this morning.

"Okay, let's go feed these strange bodies that seem to burn through food about five times faster than a 198 pound male jumping rope."

Oliver was across the street. He'd spent the morning officiating Duncan's control over Queen Industries. During his absence and his removal from the Board of Directors, the man had been standing in. Richard had dissolved the revised register and ownership had been reverted but even though it was his on paper, it hadn't been his for a long time. Duncan wouldn't fail his family's legacy the way he had. Luthorcorp had bought back their flagging shares and their conglomerate days were officially over. Considering the fallout and losses both companies shareholders had suffered, it was only a small consolation that, that particular bad judgment call had been brought to a close.

The office was only a block away from Richard's building and Oliver had intended to stop by and see Richard to inquire about his paternal rights when he caught sight of Bart and Olivia walking arm in arm down the sidewalk. Bart was smiling and talking animatedly as he usually did and Olivia bumped his ribs with her elbow. Which Bart reacted with by tickling her sides. Neither one watching out for other people and nearly tripping over a young mother pushing a pram with their antics.

Olivia blushed crimson and apologized profusely. Bart looked like he was trying not to laugh. Oliver felt a vein pulsing in his temple and curled his hands into fists. Bart was entirely too comfortable around Olivia, hands everywhere, all up in her personal space. Bart had kissed her without invitation and he'd been anything but apologetic about it. The closest contact he'd had with Olivia's lips was his cheek. He wanted to be the one kissing her damn it.

Watching them disappear into the Souplantation restaurant, he turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction, never feeling more pathetic or frustrated.

**Queen Manor**

When Hal showed up later that afternoon, he was still in a sour mood.

"What's got your panties in a bunch," his friend joked.

Hal was in his Green Lantern gear so Oliver assumed it wasn't a social call. "What do you want?" he asked.

Hal laughed. "Grouchie much? I thought they taught you Zen over there."

Oliver snorted and dropped his feet off the desk. "If you want to be helpful, hand me the bottle."

Hal turned his head to see where Oliver was indicating and then shook his head. "You've been sober since you got back. J'onn tells me you've got it under control. Don't test yourself Ollie. It takes more will power than you've got right now. I know what you're thinking."

"How? How can you know? You and Carol are in domestic bliss..."

"Not exactly," Hal said with a bitter laugh. "Not at all. She tried to kill me. I don't know where she is right now."

"Shit, when did that happen? What happened?" Oliver hunched over in his chair and leaned his hands on his legs as he stared up at his long-time friend. "Sorry, Hal."

"I tried to keep her out of this you know?" He gestured to his uniform. "Turns out damned if you do, damned if you don't. She's been possessed by some alien crystal. Turned her into an enemy of the Green Lantern. I can't talk to her without her trying to take my head off. It's screwed up. I will find a way to save her. I've got to believe she's still in there. Somehow."

He let his voice trail off and he scratched at the edge of his eye mask. Sometimes his uniform wasn't as comfortable as he imagined it was supposed to be. Or maybe it's because he thought it uncomfortable, which meant he made it uncomfortable. When he thought about how the ring, how its capabilities were only limited by his imagination and how his will controlled it all, just trying to process that gave him a headache.

Oliver got up and patted Hal on the shoulder. He picked up the bottle. "You sure about that drink?" He unscrewed the cap and poured two glasses of whiskey.

Hal took it wordlessly and slugged it back, he hissed softly as the liquid burned a trail down his throat.

"Wow, haven't had a drink like that in awhile."

Oliver took a small sip of his. He hadn't either. Even on St. Pats, he'd managed to limit it to one ale, while Victor polished off the rest of the pitcher himself. First rule in kicking a habit, avoid temptation. He was doing his best but it didn't help when it was so much better to feel numb and not care when life kept kicking you in the gut.

"Are you going to get to the part of why you're here?" Oliver said setting his glass down again.

Hal arched an eyebrow before smirking. "Down to business? I'm okay with that. Hamilton's working for Waller again but he hasn't been keeping in contact with the team. J'onn's concerned."

"J'onn worries about a lot of things."

Hal nodded and put his glass down on the cabinet. "True, but this time he has pretty good reason. Hamilton turned down the job at S.T.A.R because Waller threatened to take Olivia back when we rescued her from Lex. Why would he sign on again and keep it a secret? We only heard about it because Diana's been training Olivia and she saw Emil waiting for her after a session."

"Maybe he's worried that Checkmate will catch onto the rest of you. Half of the League are double agents, maybe he's keeping his distance to protect the rest of them."

"You might be right. In any case, J'onn wants to brief you on going back to Gotham. He wants to know what Waller has Olivia working on."

Oliver narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Isn't he like a high ranking agent? Doesn't he get access to agent placement and status, things like that? I thought that's what he was there for, to dig the dirt on their operation."

"Waller's watching everyone like a hawk and she's keeping intel isolated. Actives and Tech are kept completely separate these days. Olivia's working under the Black King. While Waller's White Queen and currently overseeing all Checkmate's operations, the Black are almost completely autonomous. We have no idea what she's been doing since she joined up."

"J'onn's a telepath, he can't get anything on them?"

Hal huffed at him. "You're telling me you want him to rifle through people's minds? I thought you valued your privacy, or is that one rule for the heroes and another for the villains. Or whoever crosses you for the day?"

Oliver made a face and pushed his hands into his jeans. "Fine, so what do I say? Beam me up, Scottie?"

Hal put a hand on his shoulder with a laugh, before touching his comm. piece. "Transport to home base."

And with a burst of light, they were gone.

**Olivia's Apartment**

Connor peeked in the fridge and pulled out a food container and a bottle of juice. Olivia refused to stock any form of carbonated beverage, said it was bad for his genes and bone density, something like that anyway. She was a doctor and her mother was a science geek, if he argued he'd just get an ear full of all the scientific research behind their reasoning. He'd save the arguments and just weather through the spring detox and gorge when he got back to school.

He had an allowance and the schools cafeteria wasn't nearly as strict as his guardian in healthy eating practices. They had dim sims, ding dongs, soda pop, fried chips and chicken schnitzel burgers, and every second Thursday the kitchen rolled out his personal favorite, three meat chili. Only two weeks and he'd be back up there and free to indulge in his cravings.

He heard a creak and looked around the fridge door. The rest of the apartment was a brilliant orange. The sun was setting. Olivia had called said she was just around the corner. Caught up with an old friend she hadn't seen in awhile, said she was running a little late. He shrugged, and kicked the door shut, moving over to the microwave. Olivia didn't like him heating food in plastic containers, but she wasn't there to see it and he was too lazy to transfer it another dish. Besides it would mean more dishes and they were supposed to be saving water right? Drought and all.

He felt a sharp sting in his neck and a coldness spread through his body. He felt the room spin and promptly blacked out.

Olivia stepped into the darkening apartment. She frowned at the lack of light. Connor had said he was already home. Flipping on a light switch, she froze when she saw Connor in the middle of the room. He was tied to a chair with a gag in his mouth. His head was slumped forward. He didn't look injured but who knows what they'd given him to render him unconscious.

"Don't move," a chilling voice warned.

Olivia turned to see a woman with a long samurai sword move out from the other room.

"My partner can teleport so don't bother trying anything. Your boy will be gone before you could even move."

A man appeared behind Connor and put his hand under Connor's chin, lifting his head. Olivia struggled to keep her breathing even, her heart was racing. She needed to get it to slow down. She needed to reserve her energy for the actual fight.

"What do you want?" she asked quietly.

"We want you to stop hunting us. Leave us alone."

Olivia frowned. "Hunting you? I don't know you."

The woman laughed bitterly. "So you're just another grunt. Figures. Must be low on the food chain. Doesn't matter, you're helping, giving them everything they need to hunt us down. We've had to move twice inside a month. We didn't know how they were tracking us, till I had a friend do a little dot connecting myself. You're the source. You put all the pieces together. You're their profiling specialist. We get rid of you. We're home free."

"Until they get another pair of eyes working the field," Olivia reasoned. "They're going to keep coming after you until they get what they want. Either they want you stopped or they want you back in the fold." She worked a lot of cases simultaneously, there were a lot of profiles that fit the woman she was looking at but one seemed to be hovering at the forefront. "You were recruited by Agent Mercer."

Bette laughed cruelly and shook her head. She lowered the sword and narrowed her eyes at Olivia. "Recruited? It was Belle Reeve or them. I think I would have been better off at the psych prison. I've worked for them before. I think I prefer to breathe free air. Their idea of team is whatever suits their agenda. So long as you're a good little puppy they let you live. You start thinking for yourself and they flip the kill switch. No thanks, I play by my own rules."

"If you're not harming anyone, I can help you disappear." Olivia took a step forward and Bette shot a look at her accomplice. He and Connor vanished.

Olivia ran and dropped to the floor where the Connor had been. "No." She turned on Bette. "Where did he take him?"

"You deliver on your promise, you'll get him back. Unharmed," she added with a small smile.

Olivia curled her hands to keep from hitting the woman. "If you even breathe on him funny, I'll find out and you'll wish you never crossed me."

Bette scoffed at her. She gave her a disbelieving once over. "You've got one hour, Mama. These are the people who need new IDs and we'll need to know how they're tracking us. Make it happen, or we'll make junior pay for your mistakes."

The teleporter appeared again and took the woman this time. Olivia slammed her palms down on the floor in frustration. Sitting back on her thighs, she dug her phone out of her jacket.

"J'onn, it's me. I need your help."

Ten minutes later her living room floor looked wallpapered, littered with documents. All the active case files she had were spread out, there were thirty in total. And only one matched a girl, late teens with long black hair and had flare for the dramatic.

Bette Sans Souci, a.k.a Plastique. There were half a dozen suspicious explosions that the agency linked to her. There was an outstanding warrant for her arrest. She'd escaped custody last year after attempting to murder her Checkmate handler. Something about the way Bette presented her demands had Olivia believing the girl thought she was justified in her actions. That she really was innocent and didn't deserve to be hunted. But her behavior over the past few weeks of tracking her movements suggested that she was also very good at lying and manipulation.

And the only thing she had to go on regarding her accomplices were the passport photos she'd given her. Bette had to know that she'd run them through the facial recognition database and run it against Checkmate's databanks. Why would she tip her hand? Unless she thought Olivia wouldn't risk getting Checkmate involved.

Olivia pursed her lips in frustration. She could always ask Bart to run the checks, but it was still a risk. Checkmate had filters in all the government systems statewide. If any of them were on Checkmate's list, the second she ran the scans they'd be flagged.

J'onn crouched down next to her. "I feel your concern and I understand you don't want to jeopardize Connor's safety, but if you go against the agency on this, they will take you out for it. Loyalty to the mission is their number one rule."

"Not if they never find out about it, J'onn. I know she's the one that made the call on this. I will turn that against her. The others aren't familiar to me. If they co-operate I might be able to get them to come around. No one has to get hurt."

"I hope you're right. I'll be around if you need me."

Olivia smiled a little. "Thank you J'onn."

J'onn touched her shoulder lightly, before he shifted back into the stranger that had appeared at her door. He was master of going incognito, a handy talent to have, shape-shifting.

Picking up the photos, she put them in her purse and put her gun inside the holster hidden by her jacket. Collecting her keys, she left her apartment.

**Thirty-seven minutes later**

Olivia pulled up to the industrial site that Bette had chosen. "I'm here," she said. Working with him, she'd pushed her man into churning out the three passports and birth certificates in record time.

"Good, get out of the car and put the documents on the ground. Then get back in and lock the door."

Olivia seethed silently at her instructions be speaking aloud. "Your teleporter friend can take this right out of my hand. Why don't you show me Connor and then I'll let you have the documents."

The teleporter appeared inside the car just as she'd expected.

"I'll have that," he said snatching the package from her passenger seat.

"Thought you might do that." As soon as he held it, Olivia pushed the button in her pocket. The package electrified and shocked him unconscious. When he was down, she put the neural inhibitor chips into his temples and cuffed his hands together behind his back. Lying him across the backseat, she faced the windshield again. "Now I have the documents and I took out your friend. You're a man short, Bette. I'm guessing the teleporting wonder was your ticket to freedom. Give me the boy and we'll make the exchange. No more games."

Bette swore and screamed. "You bitch, you're psycho. Larry's the only one who knows where the kid is."

"Thanks Bette," Olivia said, clicking off the call. "That's all I needed to hear." Olivia could tell from the hysteria in the girl's voice that she was telling the truth. Starting the car, she put it into gear, and peeled out of the area before Bette had a chance to close the distance and jump the vehicle.

Dial-ling a new number, she reported Bette's location to her team leader and checked her unconscious passenger in the back seat. He'd be out for at least another ten minutes.

Olivia injected the kid with the counter serum and slapped his cheeks lightly. "Wake up."

"Hah, wha...." His eyes widened like saucers. "What are you doing?" He blinked rapidly and tried to flinched away from her when she came closer. "What did you do to my suit?"

"The impulses sent from your brain are being blocked. You've got speech, sight but no mobility. You're paralyzed, right? I remember your file. They suspect your ability has a kinetic basis. Your suit is interesting. The outlets in your palms suggest some kind of energy release? Pulse blast?"

"Don't let them take me. I'm begging you, I'll tell you were he is, just don't let them take me. Please."

His eyes were wide with unsuppressed fear and he's voice trembled with his distress. Olivia didn't like playing interrogator. It wasn't part of her job description. She studied patterns, she studied people, she made assessments on how to predict behavior, when they might make a mistake, when they would be most vulnerable, who they might target. It bothered her that she hadn't considered this scenario before now. She'd been so focused on the mission, she'd been lulled into thinking Connor was safe.

"How did you find me?"

Larry looked even more frightened. "I don't..."

"You do know and you think they'll find out you spilled the beans. Listen, as far as I know, you haven't broken any laws that I'm not willing to overlook. You seem like an all right kid. You haven't killed anyone? Hurt anyone?" She watched as he tried to shake his head, instead he just blinked rapidly his right eye twitching violently now. "It's not too late for you. The people I work for. They go after people like Bette, who harm others, who are dangerous. She cause materials to explode at will. I know you're thinking that if you make her angry it'll mean extra crispy for you, but I will help you, if you help me. Understand?"

"There was this guy. He can find anything, anywhere. He just needs a connection. Bette let him touch her sword. She'd cut one of the agents in our escape. Tracked him to his house in Jersey. She took that guy out. Blew up his whole apartment, but not before she tortured him into giving us your name. We didn't have a first name to go on but there was a mission brief in his desk. It's all the tracker needed. We leave genetic material on anything we touch. He can tap into memories or something. He told Bette that you were the one giving them the information."

Olivia frowned. A man like that meant that Checkmate's entire operation could have been compromised. Not that she was overly concerned about that, transparency kept people honest. However, it would jeopardize their ability to track these people if there was someone out there that could put them three steps ahead every time.

"Do you think you could contact him again?"

"No," Larry answered quickly, his tone anxious.

"His name?"

Larry's right eyelid twitched again. "I... donnn..."

"Describe him, recount the meeting and every conversation. Think Larry, you're a smart guy, I don't think small details would escape your attention."

Larry closed his eyes in concentration. "He's got a union jack on his t-shirt and he had dyed hair or it could be a wig. He's a scary looking man. He's got scars on his face and he's always smoking."

Olivia's narrowed her eyes at that. "Seems like quite a character. Names?"

"I think Bette called him Black. Or maybe she was talking about his clothes. He wore a black trench coat and black jeans. I don't know anything, I swear. The guy made my skin crawl." Larry opened his eyes again, giving her a pleading look. "You have to help me."

"I will Larry. You give me Connor and I promise I'll help you disappear. On one condition. You check in with me once a week and you don't skip out without updating me first. You don't check in, I'll hunt you down and hand you over to them myself, understand?"

The youth blinked twice and Olivia removed the inhibitor chips. "Take me to him."

Once Connor was home safe, shaken up but unharmed, Olivia gave Larry his new identity and a few pointers for how to stay off Checkmate's radar.

"Don't make contact with other people who have abilities. It's the first step to getting noticed. And stay out of trouble. I hope that rule is self explanatory."

Larry winced and hung his head. "Yes, ma'am."

Olivia gave him business card of a private charter pilot. She'd written her details on the back. "Give this to Hank, he'll take you as far as he can fly you. Wherever you want to go."

"Why can't I just, you know?" he gestured at his suit.

Shaking her head Olivia sighed. "Part of how we were able to track you. Your suit gives off a unique energy signature each time you teleport."

Larry looked put out by that bit of information. He screwed up his face and then jerked his head in her direction. "So I fly anywhere? I thought you said I had to say in contact?"

Olivia nodded at his new watch. "I'll know where you are. And don't take it off or try to overload it, it'll set off an alarm. If you're ever in trouble, use the emergency signal." She indicated how to trigger it by touching two buttons on the side of the watch.

"Why are you helping me?" he asked eying her skeptically.

Olivia looked over at Connor who was watching their exchange with quiet intensity. "We don't get to chose our circumstances, but we can make the best of them. I'm giving you a chance. Don't blow it."

Larry Bolatinsky was a smart kid, genius with technology from the gadgets she'd seen. He'd kept Connor in his workshop. Something told her to trust him, to give him a chance. It didn't seem like anyone had for a long time. He'd fallen in with a bad crowd and feeling threatened he'd done what anyone would have in his position.

Do your best to keep your head down and not tick off the ones protecting you. Checkmate had Bette. She had a debrief with Lord in an hour. He wanted details of why Bette had surfaced after trying for so long to stay off the grid, how she had intimate details of their operation and why an agent had gotten killed when he had been on leave.

Olivia knew about his abilities, and his unique unorthodox methods of drawing out the answers he wanted. She'd been working with J'onn on effective methods of blocking his telepathic intrusion without being obvious. Visual projections were the current technique of choice. Only she hoped it would have to come to that.

The apartment phone rang and Connor answered it. "Hello," he said tiredly.

"Connor! Is Olivia with you? Are you guys okay? Where have you been?"

Connor held out to phone to Olivia. He made a face. "Oliver's freaking out."

Olivia took the phone and squeezed Connor's shoulder. The after effects of letting adrenaline drive her for the past couple hours finally took it's toll. She could feel a major headache coming on. "Ollie, I was about to call you...."

"It's after ten? Connor was coming home at 6 and Bart said he left you at quarter past. It's been four hours and I've been trying you since 7. You didn't answer your cell, no one answered at the apartment. I thought..."

"Wait, you called Bart? How did you know I was with Bart? Were you following me?" Olivia frowned her brows pinching together. Her headache got about ten times worse. "You don't trust me to tell you the truth about how I spend my time? Or you just don't trust me with Connor? Either way, I don't see this ending well for you, Ollie."

Oliver sighed and she could hear the resignation in his voice. "I was just worried. I wasn't following you. I knew you'd be at Richards today, I thought I'd meet you for lunch. I saw you with Bart. When I couldn't reach you, I called him. I swear I'm not spying on you. There's no one I trust more with Connor."

Olivia felt tears welling in her eyes. Right now that trust was about to get shattered. But she had to tell him the truth. Connor wasn't safe with her. "Oliver, about tonight. I need to talk to you about what happened and not over the phone."

"Why don't you guys come over here. Sounds like you had a rough day. I'll order in your favorite. Besides, Connor's never seen the place. He's gotta see it sometime, it'll be his someday."

Olivia thought about it awhile and nodded to herself. "How 'bout I bring him around. I need to go into work for a bit. We'll catch up later?" she said hopefully.

"I'll have the air hockey and Playstation all set up," he chuckled.

Olivia snorted and rolled her eyes. "Great, I'll have to deprogram him when we come home."


	16. Fear Realized

**Acknowledgments: **Thank you to** sxymami0909** for the beta =)

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**The Castle, Nevada**

The flight in made her restless, but catching up with Diana made it about as stress free as it was ever going to get. Some people said they felt safer flying in a helicopter than a plane. She preferred neither if she could help it. Nothing felt better than having your feet in the dirt or sand. Feeling it move between your toes. She was really a nature girl at heart. Coming from a home where she had a house keeper, governess and a butler growing up, you'd think she never roughed it in her life, but she was a girl scout with a full sash of merit badges to credit her survival skills. She'd take a cold night, a flint rock and a stack of twigs over data systems analysis or flight simulator training any day.

They touched down on the landing pad and Diana cut the engine. The rotors slowed to a stop and she powered down the rest of the control panel. Taking off her handset, Diana crawled into the back where Olivia still sat buckled in.

Diana cracked a smile. "One of these days we have to talk when I'm not freaking you out or beating you up."

Olivia wrinkled her nose at her comment and unclipped her belt. "Yeah, that would be nice."

"Listen before you go into see Lord, Colton said he needed to give you a few things."

Colton was their resident weapons expert. If he wanted her to have something, Olivia was fairly certain she didn't want it and wouldn't use it. But part of her signing onto Checkmate's ranks meant training up in all aspects of the job. Even if she never thought she would use those techniques in the field. Considering the dangers she'd run into today, without the training and high tech gadgetry, she wouldn't have gotten Connor back. At least not without a lot of help.

"Any idea what he's got for me?"

Diana's mouth pulled up at the edges, her eyes holding a satisfactory look. "As you can attest, I favor hand to hand combat. However if the opportunity presents itself, I am quite accomplished with a staff. I believe with your focus and talent for proficiency, Colton's weapons would make a formidable addition to your fighting skill."

Olivia resisted the urge to sigh. If Diana liked being coy intentionally, she did a good job of hiding it. Her expression was serene and reflective, not a hint of playfully mystery at all. Nobody was as formal in speech as she was without appearing shrewd, it must be a talent of hers. Had her mother been keeping her marooned on an island for the past hundred years?

The guard checked their identification and then waved them through the door.

Diana walked her to Colton's bunker. "Remember, another day, we must have lunch together." She smiled and turned to head down the corridor to the mess hall.

Olivia took a breath and then pushed down on the handle. The meeting with Colton went as shockingly as she'd anticipated. For whatever reason she couldn't fathom, her hands couldn't keep from shaking long enough to pick up any of the knives he'd presented her with.

A basic Swiss army knife, with custom bonus bells and whistles; a ten-second blow torch, lock pick set, detachable flash drive with blue-tooth, signal light and homing device

A gristly looking, 7.5 inch combat knife with a compass embedded in the handle. For occasions she ever found herself without a power source for her many electronic gizmos; a satellite phone, GPS, iPhone and an impact resistant, waterproof, portable computer.

And lastly the one that stunned her the most, a Kevlar composite vest complete with throwing knives.

"And why am I going to need these?"

Colton shrugged. "Standard issue for all black actives. I guess you were white before."

Olivia could only nod. Taking her items, fisting her hands to keep them from visibly shaking, she held everything close to her chest. She was determined to dump them in her locker as soon as she passed the ready room.

Unbeknown to her, someone had been watching the whole exchange via video link with a very perturbed expression.

"In training with Diana, she was fearless, showed remarkable stamina despite her physical disabilities, this is the first sign of mental weakness she's shown."

"How do you know it isn't a physical weakness. Her body has incredible demands energy wise."

"He asked her to scan in. Her hand wasn't shaking then."

Waller smiled. She'd noticed that herself but Lord was remarkably tight-lipped in general. She enjoyed letting him muse aloud whenever he allowed her the luxury of piercing his mental armor to clean insights to how that incredible mind worked.

"How is it that she appeared on your radar again?"

"We've known about her mother for years. We took an interest in Olivia because a certain operative brought her unique position to our attention."

"Mercer?"

Waller bristled. She hated when he picked the answers out of her head. Not only did it take the fun out of being the one with all the information, but it reminded her that she could never be to careful around metahumans. She didn't like to be reminded, damn it. She was always in control.

"Mercer's been deep under cover for two years now. It finally paid off when we got a tip that Lex has resurfaced. Chatter tells us that it was his lab in San Diego that blew up and he was holding Olivia there. We don't know what he was doing, and her doctor claims that she has no memory of her abduction."

"We'll see about that," Lord murmured to himself.

**Emil's lab**

Olivia knocked on the door-frame. "Working late?"

Emil looked up from his workstation with a smile at her voice. "Always. What are you here for? You're not due for a check-up for another week."

Olivia walked over and fell into a vacant chair. "Can't stop by and to see a friendly face before I face the gallows?"

Emil gave her a grave expression. "Lord or Waller?"

"Maybe both. Lord called it."

Emil gave her arm a sympathetic squeeze. "I don't envy you. Maxwell Lord is... I don't know if anyone gets along with him."

Olivia smiled. "Tall, dark and mysterious, what's not to like? Expect for the fact that he can trap you in your own worst nightmare," she said with a small shudder. Olivia gave him a hopeful look. "Actually, I was hoping we could table up the poking and prodding. My headache was pretty bad today and I think I'm having motor trouble. She extended her arm, and looked at her fingers. Only they weren't shaking anymore.

Emil took her hand and pressed on her pressure points. The responses were normal. "I don't see..."

"It didn't imagine it. It was like I had no control at all. With Colton, he showed me the new equipment I'm supposed to have and I...." she stop mid-sentence as she thought of the one reason she might have developed tremors. "Why would I be afraid of knives?"

Emil got up slowly, avoiding making eye contact. He had a fairly strong hunch why she was afraid of knives. Her brain might have suppressed the memory but her flight instincts were still fully functional. The fading scars on her arms and legs were proof alone of the trauma she suffered. Maybe she was slowly remembering. He hadn't done a brain scan since she'd regained consciousness a couple months back. Maybe it was worth checking.

He walked to the adjoining screened lab and motioned for her to get on the table. They had a diagnostic scanner attached and he could run a couple of tests before she went to her meeting.

"Close your eyes."

There was a small hiss that told her the door had opened again.

"She'll be done in a few minutes, I'll only need her for..."

"You can wait doctor."

Olivia didn't get a chance to open her eyes before a cold dart pierced her neck.

// ****** //

She woke up on the table with Emil looming over her. "Sorry about that. Lord can be a little impatient."

"So he tranqued me? What for?"

"He wanted you out so he could study your unconscious brain patterns. Looking for a base line, I guess."

Olivia understood. He wanted to know what her conscious thought patterns looked like verses her dream state. Telepathic manipulation, suggestion and projection. He could make you believe whatever he wanted; touch, taste, smell, sight he could simulate them all because it all took place inside the host mind. If you'd experienced it, he could use it.

"It's not all he wanted Olivia. He wanted to see your scars."

"My scars?" She hated how her voice wavered. The full length mirror in her room had been packed away. She dressed with the blinds closed and showered with the lights off. She could feel the scars though. Even in the dark she knew they were there.

The ones on the inside of her arms were fairly easy to conceal even if she wore a t-shirt. She just had to reach quickly and not too far away from her body. Usually she kept her jacket on, or wore long sleeves. But they weren't the ones she thought were ugly however. They faded a little more every day and they hadn't been deep to begin with. They hadn't even needed stitching.

The ones on her legs were a different story. The cuts on her inner thighs and calves had been deep and it had hurt for weeks to wear even sweat pants that were baggy while they'd been healing. She could still feel her calves pinch a little when she stretched them, the puckered skin pulling over her expanding muscles. She could never wear shorts or a skirt without questioning looks again. Not that her confidence would allow it anyway.

"They're healing," she said without meeting his eyes.

"I wish you could remember how you got them. Maybe dealing with it would help you get over your fear."

"You think that's what caused the shaking?"

Emil lowered his clipboard to his the table nearby. "I'm sure of it."

"Think Olivia. What happened the night you disappeared?"

"Disappeared? Mom said I feel, my abilities..." She frowned, an imaged playing in her mind. Standing in her apartment looking at a reflection in a glass cabinet. It was of a masked man. Olivia shivered. A memory. A memory she didn't remember having before but instinctively felt too real to be a dream. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She pictured going home that night. Bart walking her to the door. She was going to get a mug from the cupboard when she caught the reflection of the intruder in the glass. She remembered him moving closer, and then she jumped. She'd tried to get away, there were loud noises, lots of scrapping sounds, broken glass and then a sharp pain. She winced at the sensory memory. The fear that had gripped her. Why had they lied to her. They'd all lied. Why? Why was Emil telling her the truth now?

"I was taken? You knew and you didn't tell me?" she pressed her eyes flashing in anger.

Emil frowned. "It was your parents decision. They wanted to protect you. You didn't remember, they hoped to spare you the pain."

"What happened to me?" Olivia asked, her voice bordering on hysteria. She could feel panic curling through her, her pulse quickening, blood pounding in her head. More images flashed in her mind's eye.

Lines pumping glowing green fluid into her veins, the burning sensations that surged through her body as the serum spread. A knife cutting into her arms, her legs slowly and precisely. The cruel smile of her tormentor as he did it. She screamed. "I don't know!"

Emil put a steadying arm on her shoulder. "It's okay, it's just a memory. He can't hurt you anymore." He waited his warm comforting hand never leaving her until the trembling stopped. "What did he want?"

"He kept asking me about the Green Arrow. I couldn't answer him. I didn't have the answers he wanted."

She closed her eyes, a shudder tearing through her again. She saw the face of another man and she brought a hand to her mouth to keep the scream in her throat as he drew away from her. Her blood on his lips.

// ****** //

Emil watched seething with quiet fury as Lord manipulated Olivia. She lay unconscious on the table while he plundered through her brain. "She has such a vivid and engaging mind. Even snaps-shots are played out in intimate detail. Such clear pictures." He drew his hands away.

Lord hadn't noticed the fluid leaking from her ears. Emil had but he felt he'd protested his violent disapprove enough already. Anymore and Lord might decided to do a little digging through his brain and he knew his mental defenses wouldn't hold up as well as Olivia's and the secrets he kept were about more individuals than she knew about. People whose identities needed to remain a secret.

As he stepped away, Lord seemed to finally notice how still she was, and the green ooze seeping from her pores. "What's wrong with her? That's never happened before."

"No one's ever been exposed to the amount of refined meteor rock as she has. We don't know what it's done to her body."

Lord turned with a scowl on his face and left the room quickly. Emil injected Olivia with the counter drug and waited for her to come around. When she did, she rolled to her side and vomited violently. She was shaking and gasping when she met his eyes.

Tears streamed down her face and she held onto Emil sobbing quietly, while he held her wordlessly.

"I'm sorry Olivia." He was afraid. Afraid for her but afraid more for himself. He couldn't bring himself to tell her what Lord had done. He also had no idea what Lord wanted from her. He forced himself to focus on why she'd hemorrhaged. He helped her lie back after giving her a glass of water to rinse her mouth out and take a small sip. Wiping her nose, Olivia stared at the color of the stained tissue.

"Why is it green? The fluid Lex injected me with, it was green."

Emil kept his eyes focused on the monitor. Trying to squash the rising panic he felt. She remembered. That's what Lord wanted. He wanted her to remember. To what end, only time would tell. Did she realize that they'd all lied to her? "Olivia I'm sorry we couldn't rescue you before he hurt you."

Olivia chewed her bottom lip, squeezing her eyes shut against the memory of what Lex had done to her. "I don't blame you, Emil. I don't even blame you for keeping it from me. I wish I didn't remember."

He stared at the screen and tried not to betray his shock at what he found. Olivia didn't miss the change in his breathing.

"What, what do you see?" She didn't move, she knew that by moving she'd disrupt the diagnostic process but she wanted to turn her head to see what he was looking at.

Emil put a staying hand on her arm. "I'll need to look at your old films again. It could be a glitch in the system, or a side effect of..." He had been about to say Lord's manipulations. He'd never performed an MRI on someone post interrogation. "Listen, it'll take me a while to get the records up here. Why don't you go to your meeting and I'll meet you later? If you're feeling up to it. I could call Lord and get him to postpone citing medial concerns."

Olivia shook her head. "No, I need to go. Maybe you could give me a booster?"

Emil frowned. "You're running dry?"

Olivia unconsciously rubbed her shoulder where the implant was embedded. "I've had a rough day. I didn't use my abilities but I feel like I might have drained it anyway."

Emil checked it for her and realized she had in fact used up the cartridge. He made a note to run a stress test and do an EEG when she came back from Lord.

Her meeting with the Black King went a lot quicker than she anticipated. He'd written a statement asked her read it through and if she agreed with the details of Bette's capture and detention, she could sign it and leave. Bishop Karvan had her new assignment ready.

She stopped by Emil's lab on her way back and paused when she overheard his heated conversation on the phone.

"It wasn't my choice. He's a telepath, he can poke around and draw out whatever he wants. Well tough, she knows but that's not why I called. Her MRI shows several abnormalities. I'm forwarding you the scans for a second opinion. Yes, our equipment and software is fully serviced and up-to-date. Okay, I'll await your call. No, I won't alarm her unnecessarily." He hung up the phone with a huff. "Infuriating woman."

Olivia folded her arms. "She gets that a lot." From his side of the conversation she knew with reasonable certainty that he'd been talking to her mother.

"Olivia," he said startled. "How long were you..."

"Standing here? Long enough," she said with a grim smile. "Not good news huh?"

"We don't know for sure yet. I'm not a neurologist."

"No, but you know what an MRI should look like. Let me see it."

He hesitated and she walked over to where he sat, taking the film from him. There were darker shaded masses shattered over both halves of her brain. They varied in size and she wondered how they could have possibly gone unnoticed until now. The largest which was situated in her frontal lobe. With the extra pressure, she should be exhibiting symptoms like impaired judgment, lack of focus, emotional outbursts.

"Aside from the headache, extra serum drain and the shakes, have you noticed anything different lately. Behavioral changes, impaired vision, lack of appetite, anything?"

Olivia nodded slightly. "It's just little things. I did something without thinking, actually I've done quite a lot these past few weeks without thinking things through. I told Oliver about Connor. It just spilled out. I faced Bette without any back up whatsoever." She put her hands on the desk and closed her eyes, her frustrations at her impulsive irrational behavior angering her. "And I accused Oliver of spying on me. I was angry. I've never let my anger control me like that. I've never lost my temper before, never at him."

Emil could tell from the way she was visibly shaking that she was letting the information overwhelm her. She needed to relax. They had plenty more tests to run first, blood samples to study, a second opinion to hear, ideally from a neurologist, even if her mother had been studying her daughter's brain since she was a child she wasn't a specialist in how the brain worked, or brain diseases.

"I want to do an EEG. We'll do a few memory tests, some puzzles and word games. See if there really is anything to worry about. I know I can give you at least one piece of good news. It's not cancer. I used a sample of the..."

"Mess I left on your lab floor? Lovely," Olivia said with a grimace.

She dropped into the chair nearby and put her head in her hands. "I'm supposed to see Oliver tonight, explain what happened today but I can't even think clearly right now. I can't think of anything else but this? How many mistakes have I made just because of these growths I have in my head?"

"You can't blame yourself."

"Yes, I can. I shouldn't have been practicing again. I knew I was impaired. Things don't change overnight. I could have gotten Connor killed today. They want to put me in the field again. Karvan says I'm going to Arkham. They have my cover ready and they want me to study the metahumans they have there. I can't take the case, Emil. You have to tell them I'm sick."

Emil nodded. "Okay, but we do the tests first and then I'll schedule you for an appointment with Dr. Peterson."

"The psych doctor?"

"If there's nothing we can do about your medical condition, she'll be the one to determine whether or not you can cope with active duty," Emil explained.

Olivia nodded. She took her phone out of her pocket and dialed Oliver's number.

_"Hey, you on your way?"_

"No, something came up and I'll have work tonight. Can Connor stay with you till I get back?"

_"Sure. I think we'll survive a few more hours without you,"_ he said with a grin in his voice. _"We haven't tried to kill each other yet."_

Olivia smiled a little at his attempt at levity. "I'll probably be really late. I'll crash at home and see you guys in the morning? I'll bring breakfast."

_"Okay,"_ he answered hesitantly.

Olivia could sense the silent question in his voice. She didn't know how to explain any of it to him so she just said her goodbyes. "I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow. Night Ollie."

_"Goodnight, Liv."_

**Queen Manor**

Oliver put the phone back in the cradle. He had a little over a week left before Connor went back to school. He had been hoping to take them all out together a few more times, get everyone used to the idea of hanging out as a family. It seems Olivia had other plans. She was as eye deep in work as she usually was.

He was beginning to feel the same as J'onn about her involvement with the agency. He didn't like that he knew almost nothing about them or what she was doing. He wondered how much he could question her on it. Did she have confidentiality constraints? If so, was she concerned at all about what kind of danger her job might put Connor in?

The time flew by. Olivia didn't come the morning she said she would. Bart came instead. He didn't see her at all save the one time he'd come to take Connor out for the day. When it came time for Connor to go back to Excelsior, he'd called her apartment since all his calls to her cellular went straight to voice-mail. The longer he went without talking to her the worse his feeling of anxiety got. She was hiding something big, he could feel it.

He rang the apartment to find that the number had been disconnected. All his senses went into hyper-alert. He drove straight over and found the apartment empty. He called Connor's cellphone and to his utter relief the boy answered.

_"Oliver?"_

Oliver cringed at his son's formal use of his name. He knew he wasn't going to get a Dad out of him for a long while yet but could he at least call him Ollie? Hearing Oliver come out of the kid's mouth felt like he was his some disciplinarian that he detested. He thought they were getting on great. "Yeah, I swung by your place to see if I could drive you guys up. Maybe catch a movie before you hit the books for another term."

_"Liv has to be back in Gotham, like yesterday, so we're driving up early."_

Oliver frowned and rubbed at the furrows in his brow. He felt so out of the loop. It felt like his college years all over again. He'd wanted to get to know her again, he wanted to reach out to her and she'd shuffled him off before he could even ask who her residency companions were. It was as though she was embarrassed to be seen with him. He didn't get that vibe from her now but she wasn't welcoming him with open arms either. The one time they'd been together since she'd canceled their plans with her all-nighter, she'd been strangely quiet, withdrawn and almost pensive. Olivia always had a warm smile for everyone. That day was as though something had sucked the brightness right out of her.

He wanted to ask after the reasons behind the vacant apartment, but he assumed that whatever excuse that she'd fed Connor probably wasn't the truth anyway. The building super said that she had three months left on the lease but that she'd told him to go ahead and release anyway. She'd even signed a statement for the landlord to that effect.

The only consolation he had was that he knew where Connor would be and he could only hope that she'd told Connor the truth, that she was in-fact headed back to Gotham. He wondered if she'd told Bart anything. If she had, Oliver hoped that his persuasive skills where the younger man was concerned were still effective.


	17. Arkham Trouble

**Acknowledgments: **Thank you to** sxymami0909** for the beta =)

* * *

**Chapter 17:**

**Arkham Asylum**

Olivia put her files away and closed the drawer. Locking the cabinet, she put the key chain in her pocket. The past few months she'd isolated herself from everyone. It had started with Oliver and slowly instead of lying all the time to herself and everyone else, it was just easier to avoid them all.

"It's inoperable. There's no way to safely remove them and even if we could, we can't filter out the toxic solution that's irradiated your cerebral and spinal fluid. Your mother suspects that's what caused the masses in the first place. Your body is trying to filter out the impurities, forming these pockets in your brain."

The growths would continue to expand in size until all the toxicity in her body was absorbed. If only she had another way of drawing out the toxins. Checkmate had a report about a dirty bomb that had been neutralized on the top of the Daily Planet. There had been traces of the same solution on the equipment left, that matched the specific compound signatures in her cerebral fluid analysis. Who or what was able to draw the poison from the bomb would be able to cure her. But they had no leads on the person aside from the possible link to a report of a high-tech weapon being stolen from Luthorcorp labs shortly before the disaster. She couldn't even explore her theory because those files where sealed in Lord's office.

She was in the process of packing her briefcase to head to a late lunch when the security alarm sounded. It was the second time today. The first, was early this morning before she'd arrived. The Joker had escaped. Anonymously, she'd sent information to Rene at the Major Crimes Unit on the possible locations he might target. She couldn't blow her cover by reaching Rene directly. Nobody but the agency knew she was stationed at Arkham.

Going to her safe, she withdrew her gun and loaded it with tranq darts. She slid it under her lab coat into the waistband of her pants. So far there had been no new symptoms, she had more frequent headaches, last week her vision had blurred for a minute but aside from the odd nose bleeds there was nothing else. Her field handler kept clearing her for duty and while she was able bodied. She'd do her job. She liked feeling useful. She wasn't going to sit around in her parents house waiting to die of an anurism.

Olivia hated seeing the look of anguish in his eyes, that she was betraying some picture he had of her, of how she should be, and avoiding him seemed like the best way to deal with that. There had been a time, when she had been blissfully ignorant where she'd believed in a happy ending. The perfect life. It was a pipe dream. She was hurting him by cutting herself off but it would hurt less than if she loved him, let him love her and then left him for good. He'd been through that loss before. He had been a kid then but it had gutted him. If she could spare him that pain she would.

Her hand on the door knob she turned it, but it swung back. She gasped in surprise at the gun in her face. "Harlene?" Her work colleague was decked out in a Swiss serving maid costume with knee-high lace up boots, but that wasn't the most obvious telling transformation. It was the black, white and red face paint that told her the most. Her obsession with the Joker had finally pushed her over the edge.

"It's Harley. You like, Livie?"

Olivia swallowed nervously. "You were the one that helped him escape."

Harley chuckled and threw her arm across Olivia's shoulders. "Not just a pretty face, 'ay boys?" she said with a wink. She pushed Olivia in the direction of some burly guys also sporting face paint. "Put her with the others. We got plenty more to do before puddin' gets back. Move along, Livie."

One of the thugs, opened the door to the morgue and threw Olivia inside. It was full of other facility staff. It seems they were cleaning up the entire compound, and everyone had ended up here. Arkham wasn't just a prison, it was a psychological hospital too. Staff from both buildings where here. She knew everyone employed at Arkham by name, she'd studied the roster. Two people were missing, the warden and Dr. Lee.

"Sit tight. The lunch cart will be here shortly," one of their captors said with a snigger.

Olivia rubbed her arms where they'd been holding her tightly enough to bruise. She scanned the room again and saw someone with their head bowed in the corner. She would recognize that shock of blonde wavy hair anywhere. But what was she doing at Arkham. Briskly walking across to her, she crouched down. "Chloe?"

Chloe's head shot up. "Olivia? What on earth are you doing here?" Chloe took in her attire, she was dressed like one of the doctors. There were no children in attendance even in the hospital facility there'd be no need for a pediatrician in a place like this.

Olivia sat down next to her. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Let me guess, you can't tell me?" Chloe said with a wary smile. "It's killing him you know. Not seeing you, not knowing where you are or if you're even alive. He knows what you do is dangerous."

Olivia clenched her jaw. She didn't know how Oliver knew but he did. She could tell from the last argument they'd had that he knew who she was working for and the kind of things they did. He hadn't pressed her to divulge anything but he had told her to quit. She told him that it wasn't that simple. You couldn't quit. Once you started there was no backing out. You retired, permanently. The job would retire you in the end, one way or another. And to her, it didn't even matter anymore. At least they had each other. At least Connor would have Ollie.

"It's better that way. The less he knows, the less he sees of me..."

"Better for you, you mean," Chloe pointed out with her usual snark.

For the most part, Olivia appreciated Chloe's candor. She never had to put up any pretense for the spunky reporter. And she knew how fiercely protective and loyal Chloe was of her friends. She was grateful that Oliver had people like that in his life but if Chloe thought that she even had one sliver of insight into her situation then she was mistaken. "Yeah, it'll be easier for me, not to have to watch his face when I die. To have to witness the pain," she said bitterly.

"It can't be that cut and dry," Chloe reasoned. "There's always another alternative."

"Not this time," Olivia said cuttingly. "I'm dying Chloe. There's nothing anyone can do about it. If I can keep them away, it'll make the loss easier to bear. They can pretend I'm out there somewhere, not knowing any different. They can move on with their lives."

Chloe looked stricken. "You have cancer?"

Olivia smiled bitterly. "Maybe then I'd have options, chemo or the new magnetic therapy. Thanks to my run in with Luthor my body's irradiated with an alien poison. There's no cure. And unless I can magically suck it out, the tumors in my brain will keep growing, the clock's going to tick over eventually and it's game over."

Chloe blinked back tears. She remembered what it felt like learning the news that she was meteor infected, knowing how all those before her with meteor infections had ended up. She squeezed Olivia's hand. "You're infected with meteor rock?"

Olivia looked at her in surprise. And then it dawned on her. Chloe was from Smallville. The meteorite capital of the world. Belle Reeve had the highest population of meteor infected inmates according to Checkmate's records. "What has it done to you?"

"It's concentrated around my heart. I have a empathic healing and regenerative ability," Chloe said quietly.

Olivia nodded. It sounded a hundred times better than what she'd been lumped with, but she could understand the social and moral implications of having such a gift. Who did you heal? And at what cost? "Does it...are there side-effects?"

Chloe shrugged. "We're still testing. But I recently learned that I've stopped ovulating. A win because yay - no need for birth control but it sucks because nobody wants the option taken away, you know?"

Olivia dipped her head. She knew the feeling. While her biological clock was still running, she didn't have the luxury of considering that future either. "I always thought I had plenty of time for that, sometime in the future. I know I'm 30 but that's like the new 21. Life begins at 30. Or that's what the magazines want us to believe."

Chloe breathed in and let it out in a huff. "Life sucks."

Olivia's eyes smarted with tears and she tilted her head back studying the ceiling. "My mom would say it's all good, all the time. God is good. I don't know anymore? How is dying right now good? I never got to tell him how much he makes me feel, or how I think he's going to be a fantastic father to Connor. How much I wish we had more time."

Chloe squeezed her hand. "You should tell him. Let him decided how much is enough time. You'll hurt him either way Olivia. At least give him the choice to prove you wrong."

Olivia felt her eyes glaze. "I don't think I'm strong enough." If she did tell him everything. If she did put herself out there. Told him exactly how she felt and he rejected her, she didn't think she could survive it. Just the thought of it was clogging her throat with tears and making her heart ache in her chest. It was easier to bury those feelings and pretend she didn't have them. Ignore the papers that showed him with a new girl on his arm at every party. Tell herself he was free to date whomever he liked, that she was happy, he was happy.

Chloe watched the emotions play out on Olivia's face and closed her eyes against the memories of sharing those feelings herself once upon a time. She'd taken a leap and it had paid off. She'd never felt more loved or liberated in her whole life. The glittering ring on her finger reminded her everyday that there was a man who complimented her in every way. That believed in her, had faith in everything that she was, that loved her unconditionally. Even with all the secrets she still kept. Even when they discovered that she might never be able to give him children, it hadn't changed his desire for her in all things. "It's all a charade. What they print. If you take the time to look, you'll see as easily as I did that he's not happy. That they don't make him happy. They're merely a distraction, something to fill the void."

"Oliver, isn't Bruce," Olivia said pointedly.

"No, he isn't," Chloe said with a nod. "But they share a lot of similarities. Great loss, feeling adrift from everyone and everything, searching for heart and purpose. Give him a chance Olivia. I know he cares about you."

Olivia stood a steadying breath and let you a bitter laugh. "It'll all be for naught if we don't figure out the Joker's plan. They're trying to take control of the facility, that's what the alarms were about. They're going to have to cut the power at some point if they want to override it. When the place goes dark, we're leaving. Are you ready to move?"

"How do you know when they're going too..."

The morgue was plunged into darkness. Olivia was on her feet and used her blow torched to cut out the drain grate in the floor. Lifting it, she dropped Chloe through, before jumping down herself.

When the lights went back on, they were already navigating the tunnels. "I don't really remember the schematics all that well, but I know that these tunnels run along the whole facility and across the island."

"They'll catch Joker. He doesn't have the resources to leave the city."

"The Joker doesn't want to leave. He wants to bait the Bat. He has a bone to pick with him. No one's outsmarted the Joker before. He wants to toy with him before he deals his brand of justice."

"So what, he's going to let himself be caught?"

"Exactly, and when Batman brings him in, this place is going to become a Joker's fun factory. We've got to sneak as many people out as we can and get word to the Commissioner."

"Almost everyone is in that room."

"We have to create a diversion. The guards are at the door. I could see the boots. We get them to leave and then you lead everyone out through the tunnels."

"With no map..."

Olivia grinned. "Follow your nose, Chloe."

"Right where the stinks not so bad," Chloe mused to herself. She clicked on her torch and searched for a good hiding spot till Olivia could create her diversion.

True to her assessment. By night fall, the Joker had been returned to the Asylum. Olivia set the boiler to overload and it had rocked the basement of the facility. The thugs posted at the morgue, being the closest had gone to investigate. None of the staff had appreciated the swim Chloe had forced them into, but she'd lead them to through the drain that led to the Gotham River.

Going back the way she'd come, she kept to the shadows and used the GPS link to Wayne satellites to navigate the facility. She reached the atrium and saw Bruce with the Commissioner. No sooner had the Joker been handed over and Gordon walked him through to hand him over to the Warden, then the place went into lock down.

The warden was tasered unconscious by Harley who'd been hiding in the control booth, and the Joker took the Commissioner's gun and dragged him off. Bruce was cut off from them, on the wrong side of the force-field.

"Come and get me Batsy, I do hope you decide to play."

From the small weep hole in the brick work, she could see Bruce seething in anger at getting duped. She wished she'd been able to reach him. Obviously he'd been busy tracking Joker through the city to get the message she'd sent while leading the staff away from the morgue. He wouldn't even know that she was here. She'd left word with Malcolm that she was going to interview people about the Joker's escape from Arkham, track down clues. Hopefully, she'd be out of this place and back at her desk to write up the story before the ink hit the presses for tomorrows issue.

Olivia stayed silent, waiting for her opportunity to jump Harley. When she was skipping off and rounding the corner, Olivia tranqed her. Heading back toward the security desk, she tried to get access to shut down the fields, but she was locked out. The master system was in the warden's office. She would have to get back up there. It was on the top floor. She'd have to safely navigate past all the Joker's henchman to get there. If that's not where the Joker had set up his home base anyway.

She noticed the Joker dragging the Commissioner through the corridors, her heart skipped a beat. Had he killed him. Olivia flew through the corridors and to the level where she'd seen him.

The Joker was cackling to himself, he couldn't be more than a few feet ahead. She'd called into her handler as soon as she'd left Chloe and apprised them of the situation. That inmates were in control of Arkham. Her handler said to stay on site and to monitor the situation only, provide information and not to break her cover. They'd heard word from GC P.D., S.W.A.T. teams were on route.

Olivia snuck up behind him and shot him twice in the back, he went down face first with a shocked squeak of surprise. There was no way she was staying inactive and out of sight if she had the opportunity to diffuse part of the danger.

She heard hurried footsteps coming up behind her, the soft click of heels. Chloe knelt down beside her. "Is he?"

Olivia rolled him to his back and held her breath caught at what she saw. The front of his shirt was soaked with blood. His face had been cut into sport a large, warped smile and there were two powder burns on his chest where he'd been shot at close range with his own gun. How had she missed hearing those shots?

"I can save him," Chloe said her voice shaking, along with her hands as she reached for him.

Olivia stared at her. The Joker knew what he'd done to Gordan, anyone who saw the footage would know. She would risk exposing herself to save a man she didn't know? "Chloe," she said in warning.

"The city needs the Commissioner. He's the one man who knows the truth about Batman, knows his motives, protects him and let's him keep this city in check. If he dies, there's no telling what will happen to Gotham."

Olivia didn't know how she knew what she did, but she trusted that Chloe believed it. "I'll strip the footage."

"Thank you. And just...if you could keep me safe. Don't let anyone see me like this," Chloe pleaded, waving her hand at Gordan's marred face.

Olivia nodded and sat back on her calves watching in amazement as light spread from Chloe's hands where she touched Gordan's chest and then burst brightly, enveloping them both in a glowing white aura. When the light faded, Gordan was stirring and Chloe lay hunched over his midsection.

Tears burned in Olivia's eyes when she pulled her friend back. Her lips were cut into that same ugly grin that had once been on Gordan's face. Hauling her against her body, Olivia got to her feet. Bending forward, she slung Chloe over her shoulders. She shifted her slightly and held Chloe's arm and put her other hand over Chloe's leg to secure her.

"Stop," a grating voice ordered from behind her.

Without turning, Olivia spoke. "I suggest you help the Commissioner and secure your prisoner. Something tells me this is not over yet."

"Put her down," the voice said again.

This time there was a pained hitch in his voice. Olivia turned slowly, thankful that Chloe's hair kept her face hidden from view.

She could see him staring at the Commisioner's chest. The older man was sitting up now. Running his hand through is graying hair, his hands flying over his face and his chest in confusion. He looked up at Batman and then at her. "He... he shot me how am I not dead?"

Olivia used the distraction to phase through the floor. She'd been practicing with shifting her molecules, sensing the changes in her body. She'd gotten used to phasing her clothing and objects she was carrying as well, but never another person. She focused on the weight and feeling of Chloe's skin in her hands. She kept phasing until they reached the junction station that controlled the island's water supply.

Placing Chloe down on the floor, she climbed the stairs and phased through the door. Running for the elevator, and getting back up to the surveillance room, she pulled the main cables that fed into the recording system and yanked the servers memory drive that stored the video footage. Putting it in her coat. She heard someone behind her. He grabbed her arm and Olivia threw out her leg to sweep him off his feet. They both went down together. Putting her other hand on the drive, she looked the Batman.

"She asked me to protect her. I will," she said. With one last look at his piercing blue eyes, Olivia phased through the floor. She'd never let anyone see her do that before. Well nobody but Bart. He'd helped her hone the ability being able to phase by vibrating his molecules himself. Considering the Batman had been intent on trapping her, Olivia didn't think she had a choice.

Bruce flexed his fingers in shock. He'd had her and she'd vanished through the floor. If Chloe trusted her, he had to believe she would be safe. It gutted him that he had to trust someone else. Someone he knew very little about. He knew her face. He knew that she'd briefly worked at Gotham P.D.'s MCU with Rene, but It didn't explain why she was here and how she knew Chloe. He couldn't focus on that right now though. S.W.A.T was outside waiting to secure the facility. Gordon was taking Joker to a holding cell right now. They needed to figure out if that's all he had planned for them tonight. At least he'd figured out the mystery of how she'd disappeared with Chloe before. Even his infrared and x-ray scanners hadn't picked up any sign of them. She was a metahuman.

Olivia resurfaced in the staff parking lot and put Chloe in the passenger seat of her car. Olivia belted her in and now that she had a second, she checked Chloe for a pulse. She couldn't find one. Listening closely and putting her cheek close to Chloe's face, she waited to feel breath. There wasn't any. Her own pulse raced. What was she supposed to do? Chloe told her to keep her safe and not to let anyone see her. She had to trust that she would come back on her own. Olivia knew what death looked like, she remembered practicing procedures of cadavers in college. No pulse, no respiration, no blood flow, frigid skin, cloudy eyes and blue lips. Chloe didn't only look dead, she felt like the dead.

Closing the passenger side door, she rounded the front of the car, climbed in the drivers seat and started the engine. She'd report in to her handler as soon as she got Chloe out of sight.

An hour later, Olivia was sitting across from a dead woman, her feet tapping anxiously while she wrung her hands together. She was grateful that her sedan had blacked out windows. She'd put Chloe's seat back and wrapped a scarf around the lower half of her face. She left her for five minutes while she raided a camping store for a sleeping canopy and insect repelling incense. Her med-kit in the trunk would cover basic first aid, and she used her medial license to buy O-neg, IV tubing, a catheter, two bags of IV fluid, Ringer's acetate and saline, healing gel and bandages and a surgical kit. Her X-ray visor would confirm her suspicions for sure but Olivia suspected that when she'd absorbed the Commissioner's injuries, she'd also absorbed the bullets. They'd have to come out.

Stamping her feet to a stop, she put on her head gear and clicked on the appropriate vision spectrum. Walking over to the bed where everything was laid out, she could see the bullets lodged inside Chloe's chest cavity. They were inside her heart. She had no idea how Chloe's ability worked, how she could come back from absorbing two gunshots to the heart, but she doubted there'd be any regeneration going on if the foreign objects stayed in.

Attaching her pocket light to the headset, she squirted antiseptic on her hands and pulled on a pair of sterile latex gloves. Untying Chloe's belt, Olivia pulled the edges of the coat open and cut through Chloe's knitted vest. Pushing the buttons through the loop holes in her shirt, Olivia parted the material to reveal ashen, freckled skin. There were two circular bloodless holes in her chest just visible above the cups of her bra. Cutting the fabric away, Olivia forced her hand to still. The scalpel poised above Chloe's otherwise flawless skin.

Cutting through the skin, the muscle below, Olivia swapped her instrument for the rib cutters. Crack, crack, crack, each sound made her wince and bit the inside of her cheek. She hadn't seen the inside of an operating room in months. She actually hadn't performed major surgery since retaining her license and she felt out of practice. She felt green. Rib spreaders in place, she allowed herself to take a few calming breaths.

The heart was lifeless in the chest cavity. Olivia put her hands around Chloe's heart and felt the small holes in muscle. Cutting the wound slightly, she took a pair of tweezers from the tray and removed the two slugs. Threading a needle, she began working to repair the damage done to her friend's cold body.

It felt like that University lab all over again, feeling strange performing life saving surgery on a dead body. How did you know if you weren't making a life threatening mistake? There were no bleeders to look out for, no possible clots to fix. What if she missed a stitch? There was no one to check over her work.

Wiping the sweat from her brow with her sleeve, she put healing gel over the stitches and put a bandage over the fresh cut.

Tearing off the gloves, she pulled the bed-covers up and folded them over Chloe's body.

She sat down in the chair next to the bed and looked at her watch. Three hours since she'd given life to Gordon. Olivia checked for a pulse again and lifted Chloe's wrist. It resisted. Her muscles were seizing up. Rigor mortus was setting in.

Olivia gasped her hand flying to her mouth and tears springing to her eyes. She really had just performed unnecessary surgery on her friend's body. Feeling panic building she flew from the room and sagged against the wall, gasping for breath. Putting her head between her knees, she couldn't stop shaking. She tried to calm her breathing it didn't help the heaving in her chest. Moments later, she blacked out.

Chloe jerked and thrashed in the bed. For as second she struggled, it felt as though all her limbs where tied down. Kicking, she freed her legs from the covers and scrambled to the edge of the bed. Her clothes hung open and loosely at her sides. Why was she naked? Her chest felt tight and pinched when she moved. Gingerly she fingered her skin, there was no trace of the wound. Her fingers hesitantly when to her mouth. She felt the edges of her lips and her cheeks. The skin was untouched. Her wounds were healed. She felt for the switch for the lamp that sat on the bedside table. Turning it on, she found a surgical tray. Each of the utensils stained with dark blood and tissue. Chloe clamped a hand over her mouth. She'd never been great with blood. The dissections in biology class had always made her squeamish. She was getting better, after asking Alfred to fine tune and upgrade her basic first aid skills. But it helped to be mentally prepared and solidify her train of thought to the task before seeing blood.

Shedding her outer layers. She redressed minus her tattered bra and vest. Her shirt had a small stain of fluid on it where the gunshot wound had been, but with her coat buttoned, it wasn't visible. Searching for her handbag, she found it missing. Strange. She doubted Olivia would have left it behind. It had been slung over her shoulders the whole time. She needed to call Bruce. From the lack of light outside, it was late. Very late. He'd be going crazy by now, if he wasn't fully engaged in foiling whatever Joker was up to. Still that didn't mean her absence wasn't weighing in the back of his mind causing a distraction.

Running a hand through her hair, she wondered where Olivia was. She assumed her friend would stay close by. Maybe she went out for food or other supplies. She snagged the bottle of water by the chair and gulped it down greedily. That's when she spotted Olivia's briefcase. There was a satellite phone nestled in one of the foam cutouts. Picking it up, she wondered if it was safe to call Bruce. He had a communications link up in his cowl. If she called him, would he even pick up an unfamiliar number? She decided to call Alfred instead.

_"Wayne Manor, Alfred Pennyworth speaking."_

"Alfred, it's Chloe."

_"Miss Chloe. Heavens, Master Bruce will be most relieved to hear that you're all right."_

"Yes, I'm fine Alfred. I'll be home as soon as I can."

_"Do you have your car, or would you like me to come and collect you?"_

"I'm with a friend Alfred. I'll wait for her to come back and I'm sure she can drive me home."

_"Very good then. Take care, Miss Chloe. I'll worry less once you're home, save and sound. There's been much too much excitement for this old man for one night."_

Chloe giggled. "Oh Alfred, you've been doing this longer than me. I'm sure you're coping just fine."

_"Experience doesn't make it easier, Miss. If anything the extra years only make me worry more. Be safe."_

"See you soon, Alfred." Chloe hung up the phone and put it back in the case. Putting her hands in her pocket, she wondered how long Olivia would be and where she could have gone. The clock on the phone has said it was 10.40 p.m.

Stepping out of the bedroom, she made her way into the small lounge area. It was as dark, the only light bathing the room, was the street lights coming through the thin gauzy curtains, and the lamp light from the bedroom behind her. While looking around Chloe noticed an old shape near the wall. She narrowed her eyes and waited for her eyes to adjust, she gasped when she realized what she was looking at. Chloe took off the strange looking headgear from Olivia's head and shook her gently.

"Olivia?" Her skin felt clammy and when she held her face, her fingers left indentations in her cheeks. Chloe didn't know a lot about normal physiology but she was pretty sure that if your skin lost elasticity it was a very bad sign. Hauling her to her feet, Chloe struggled to drag the taller woman over to the sofa. Stretching her out, she wondered who she could call. She could drive her to the nearest emergency room. Chloe had the flash fear that while taking care of her, Olivia had died. Her heart thundered in fear.

Running back to the briefcase, she knew one person who would know what to do. He was Olivia's closest friend and he could have them anywhere they needed to be in the blink of an eye. Snatching up the phone, she dialed Bart's cell number.

_"Allen, here. Who is this? If this is one of these international call centers know that in the next second I can track you down and I'll make sure you're never able to make unsolicited calls again."_

"Gee, that's a wonderfully warm greeting if ever I heard one. No wonder your dates never call back."

_"Chloe! What can I do for you mamacita?"_ he asked his voice betraying his surprise.

"I'm fine, but Olivia could use your help. She's collapsed, her breathing is very shallow and she's..."

_"Address?"_

Chloe walked to the bedside table and opened the drawer. She found a stationary pad and read the address on the bottom. "1092 East Rossum Street."

There was a gust of air and Chloe hung up with a relieved smile. She put the phone down and briskly walked Bart over to Olivia.

Bart turned her slightly and pulled the collar of her shirt back. "She's dry. Where's her bag?"

Chloe hurried back into the bedroom and scanned for it. "It's not here. There was only this big black case with equipment, her phone and a laptop."

Bart zipped past her and spun a pair of car keys around his finger. "I'll be back."

True to his word, a few seconds passed and he was back with two bags. One of them was hers. Chloe took it from him and searched it. All her belongings were still inside. Bart knelt next to Olivia and put in a full cartridge of nutrient serum into the dispenser in her shoulder. Replacing the cover, he straightened her shirt.

"I noticed that you've got a couple IV bags in the other room." He sped past her again and returned to his spot. He swabbed the back of her hand, inserted the catheter and attached the tubing. Opening the tap on the IV solution, Chloe watched as it slid down the tube and into the vein in Olivia's hand. The skin seemed to slowly soften relax with each passing minute. Bart sat on his heels and brushed back the hair where it was matted against Olivia's forehead.

"You want to tell me what happened here?" he asked, sparing a glance at Chloe. "I saw the bloodied tray in the bedroom.

Chloe pulled a face. "I absorbed a gunshot wound. Olivia was patching me up."

Bart ran a hand through his hair and then squeezed his neck. He closed his eyes for a long beat and then fixed Chloe with a tired look. "She shouldn't be doing this. Chloe, she could have killed you."

Chloe's mouth dropped, she folded her arms and glared at him. "My abilities aren't an exact science, but we've proved without a doubt that I don't heal, unless the wounds are free from foreign objects. Every-time there was a piece of glass, or the nail was left in, the wound wouldn't close over. She did the right thing, taking the bullets out."

"She could have phased them out. She could have put her hand into your chest and taken them out."

Chloe sucked in a breath and looked away. She didn't know Olivia could do that but obviously Bart did.

Bart stood up slowly. "The tumors are effecting her thought process. She's a mess, she should be taking it easy. Sometimes she's exactly how I remember her when we first met. Other times she's angry, temperamental, impulsive and irrational. You know how it is with dementia patients. One day they remember you, the next day they don't even know their own name. Olivia knows she can phase, but in that moment, under pressure, she went with her medical training. Neural pathways that are stronger than her memory of her abilities. Your ability is centered around the anomaly created by the meteor concentration around your heart. What if she'd severed your heart from the rest of your body unintentionally?"

Chloe shivered and wrapped her arms tighter around her chest. "When I bring someone back from death...there's always a chance I might not come back. I made that choice."

"And what about Bruce? What do you think your death would do to him? What about Olivia? Do you think she would have appreciated having your death on her conscience?" Bart pointed out harshly. When he saw the remorse on her face, he softened. "Chloe, we have to protect her from herself. It's been killing me keeping this secret for her. Only her parents and Emil know. Even with the four of us on her case, she won't stop. Maybe after this, you can show her that she can't hide from this. That she needs to spend what time she has left with the ones who care about her, not chasing metahumans and playing spy."

There was a quiet groan on the couch behind them. Bart turned to Chloe again.

"Emil is handling a crisis in Metropolis. A rabid viral outbreak. He's working with the CDC on a vaccine and in the meantime the JL are act containment lines. You caught me at a really bad time, sorry about before."

"No problem. Stresses of the job, I understand."

Bart kissed Olivia's forehead, and gave Chloe a hug. "When everything's under control, I'll check back in."

Chloe nodded and went to sit by Olivia on the sofa. After Bart left, Chloe twisted her hands in her lap and thought about what to say to Olivia when she woke up.

...

Olivia sat up slowly, blinking against the light. Her head was beating like a drum against her skull and the sunlight was burning her eyes. She closed her eyes and swallowed with difficulty. Her throat was sore and dry. "Water?" she rasped to the person hunched over her legs.

Chloe's head jerked up, suddenly awake, she grabbed for the bottle of water on the coffee table and handed it to Olivia. "Here."

Olivia downed the whole bottle, throwing her arm over her eyelids to block out the morning sun. Last nights events played in her mind and she sat up quickly. "You're alive." She threw her arms around Chloe's shoulders and squeezed her tight.

Chloe laughed. "Okay, relax the arms, I need to breathe."

Olivia pulled back, feeling a familiar pinching sensation in her hand. She frowned at the IV. "Did you?"

Chloe shook her head. "You passed out after patching me up. Why didn't you tell me that you had a strict regimen for hydration and nutrition?"

Olivia turned away from the concern in her friends eyes. "Bart was here wasn't he?" Olivia took out the needle and wound up the tubing around the empty bag. "I wish he'd stop fussing."

"He's worried about you, and personally I think he's right to be. Olivia, he told me you could have phased the bullets out. What else have you done lately that you could have done differently?"

Olivia stood up and walked away from Chloe, angry that Bart had told her so much. She was sick of his meddling.

"If he had it his way, I'd be sitting in bed all day drinking green tea."

"I know you're angry," Chloe said quietly, "But if I hadn't called him, I wouldn't have known how to help you."

Olivia sat on the edge of the bed and started crying. "I hate this. Not knowing if I'm whole or not. Having to remember to second guess every decision I make. I want it to be over."

Chloe sat next to her and hugged her wordlessly. There was nothing she could say that could make it better. "I've never tried my ability on someone with a meteor infection before but I could try. I want to try, if it works I could heal my mom and..."

"No Chloe," Olivia said vehemently. "I never want to see you like that again. I don't want to have to explain to Batman, whose Bruce right, why you're not breathing and I am. Promise me you won't try."

Chloe nodded, let her arm fall away and chewed down on her bottom lip. "I should go. I called last night but then you were sick so I stayed."

"Go Chloe."

"I don't want to leave you like this. You shouldn't be alone right now."

Olivia made a face. "I'll be fine."

There was a rush of air and the welcoming scent of coffee drifted to Chloe's nose. Bart pressed the cup into her hand. "For taking the night shift." He gave her a bag of Danish pastries.

Chloe gave him a small smile and hugged Olivia with one arm. "Think about what I said okay? You're not alone in this."

She left the room and Bart sat next to Olivia on the bed. "Your mom ordered me to bring you home."

Olivia huffed out a breath and folded her arms. "You mean you ratted me out for malpractice and I'm going to be put under citizens arrest."

Bart pleaded her with a look. "You haven't spoken to them in weeks, Connor's confused and Oliver's sleazing his way though half of Star City."

"Only half?" Olivia said with a snort.

Bart rolled his eyes. "You know he doesn't bring them home right? He's trying to prove something to himself. They make him feel wanted but he really only wants the attention of a certain someone."

Olivia forced her eyes shut, a tear leaked out anyway.

"Hey." Bart hugged her tightly and kissed her temple. "Give the guy a chance. Don't shut us out Olivia. Aren't we allowed to have you for as long as we can?"

Olivia nodded numbly. "Take me home," she whispered brokenly.


	18. Taking Chances

**Acknowledgments: **Thank you to** sxymami0909** for the beta =)

* * *

Remember when  
I was young and so were you  
and time stood still  
and love was all we knew  
You were the first, so was I  
We made love and then you cried  
Remember when

Remember when  
We vowed the vows and walked the walk  
Gave our hearts  
made the start, and it was hard  
We lived and learned, life threw curves  
There was joy, there was hurt  
Remember when

Remember when  
Old ones died and new were born  
And life was changed,  
Disassembled, rearranged  
We came together, fell apart  
And broke each other's hearts  
Remember when

Remember when  
The sound of little feet  
was the music  
We danced to week to week  
Brought back the love, we found trust  
Vowed we'd never give it up  
Remember when

Remember when  
Thirty seemed so old  
Now lookn' back  
it's just a steppin' stone  
To where we are,  
Where we've been  
Said we'd do it all again  
Remember when

Remember when  
We said when we turned gray  
When the children  
grow up and move away  
We won't be sad, we'll be glad  
For all the life we've had  
And we'll remember when

~ Alan Jackson

**Chapter 18**

**A marquee, the King's property**

There were fairy lights and tulle decorating the ceiling, and candles flickered on every table top. The setting couldn't be more magical but inside Olivia felt as cold and hollow as the night breeze that blew through the open tent.

"Tonight's celebration was to mark our daughter turning 30. A milestone that shouldn't go unacknowledged and we managed to pry her away from her workaholic lifestyle long enough to indulge us in our request. It's a parent's prerogative to embarrassed and spoil their young. Come up here, sweetheart."

Olivia fixed a smile on her face and walked across the dance floor. She took the microphone from her father, intent to shift the spotlight from herself but also to thank her parents in a way she might never get the chance to again.

"Thank you everyone for coming tonight. It means a lot to me that you want to celebrate here with me. Really, the credit to who I am today goes to two special people. They are the most loving, attentive and supportive a parents a child could have. Growing up I never lacked for anything. I feel treasured and blessed. Seeing you together, the affection and bond you share. The unconditional way you support each other in everything, I always wished that someday I might find that too." She paused a moment, gathering resolve to continue. Tears shining in her eyes, she smiled genuinely at them. "I want to thank you for proving to me that companionship is important. That sharing your life matters. And when I hear this song, I think of you both and dare to dream. Love you mom and dad. Mr. Jackson?"

Alan Jackson stepped up to join the band, and the music began to play. Olivia returned to her table. Taking a sip of her champagne before setting it down, she didn't see her adoptive son leave his seat. Connor impulsively crouched down to hug her.

"Love you," he whispered tightly, his voice thick with emotion.

Olivia felt fresh tears prickle in her eyes. "I love you too, Connor."

"Thanks for bringing me down for the weekend. And for letting me invite, Genna."

"How can it be a party without you?" she said cheekily, patting his cheek affectionately.

Connor grinned. "Too right. Look at these guys trying to dance."

Champagne exited Bart's mouth when he followed Connor's gesture to an elderly couple trying to do a waltz who had each ended up straining something. One had a hand on their hip, the other a hand on their back. They were trying to hobble back to their table. Spluttering and coughing, Bart hid his face behind a napkin, trying to cover his reaction. Finally finding his voice again, he smirked at them.

"I guess I better not show them up with my salsa style huh? Or maybe that's exactly what they need, someone to show them how it's done."

Olivia smiled and took another sip of her glass. She glanced at Oliver who was silently observing her parents dancing from where he sat across the table from them.

"May I have this dance, Miss King," Bart asked, with a gallant bow as he extended his hand.

Olivia looked up at him and grinned widely, letting out a gentle laugh. "As long as you don't stand on my toes, Casanova."

"I would never," Bart said with an indulgent smile.

He swept her onto her feet and whisked her off to the dance floor.

Connor watched them waltz with a smile. "Why didn't you ask her?" he asked with a nod at his father.

Oliver downed the rest of his drink and waved his hand in Bart and Olivia's direction. "She seems perfectly happy with him."

Connor snorted. "Were you listening at all to what she said before?"

Oliver shrugged one shoulder and straightened in his chair. "You covered tonight? You staying with the Kings or are you coming home with me?"

"Hannah has my room set up, so I guess I'll stay. Especially since it looks like you're going now and the party's just getting started. Come on Genna."

Oliver knew they were all keeping secrets from him - her parents, Bart, Olivia herself. He didn't know why and it killed him to feel like the only one in the dark. Well Connor knew about as much as he did, which was a small consolation.

They talked more often on the phone since he'd been back at school. And it worried his son too that Olivia wasn't as open and as easy to contact as she had been before. They still spoke every other night when she wasn't busy, and she called him every weekend, but Connor had told him that she seemed different. Closed off somehow. He'd wondered aloud if she had second thoughts about adopting him one night they'd spoken and it broke Oliver's heart that he didn't have a straight answer to appease Connor's concern. Who knew what was going through her mind at the moment. He hadn't seen her in months and had barely spoken to her.

The second she had arrived back in Star City, Richard had called him and let him know. At first, he felt like ignoring her in return. If she wanted to see him she knew exactly where to find him, but as the days passed by, he realized she wasn't going to be the one to change the status quo. He'd followed her at a distance. She spent most of her days visiting the Oncology Children's ward or at the park. The day he followed her, she ended up at the park alone. She was on a bench overlooking the lake and he'd been about to join her when Bart showed up.

He'd watched them at a distance before leaving, feeling the situation as too intimate to watch any longer. He wanted to feel nothing, seeing her again after so long but seeing her unhappy, even in Bart's company gutted him. He wanted to feel angry at her for avoiding him, for shutting him out of whatever was bothering her but seeing her hurting just left him feeling confused and frustrated.

She seemed better today, happier. Part of it had been put on earlier, he known Olivia long enough, seen her in these kinds of social settings before to notice the difference. But dancing with Bart, the smile she had was real.

Oliver stood up from the table and left the marquee.

Bart held her closer, his hand at the small of her back above the ruffles of her black gown. He wished for so many things. That she was well, that she felt more for him than friendship, that she wasn't suffering so much. That she didn't always hide how much she hurt.

A week ago, he remembered how she let him hold her while she cried. How she'd finally let it all out. Exactly what she was afraid of and how much it all weighed on her.

_"I'm sorry that you love me," she cried. "I'm sorry that I can't love you back."_

_"It doesn't matter."_

_"Yes, it does. You're always there for me. I don't deserve it. I argue, I throw things, I pushed you away. I'm losing it. I can't deny it anymore. This morning I didn't put a jacket on before going out, and I locked my keys in the house. I mismatched my shoes and I..."_

_"Those things are hardly important," Bart said with a gently smile. "That's what we're here for. To help with the small stuff."_

_"I can't choose what I remember, no matter how much I try. Sometimes it's like all the important things I forget and it's useless trivia I hang on too."_

_"Am I trivial? I really I hope I am, I never want you to forget me."_

_Olivia smiled through her tears and hugged him tightly. "I don't want to ever forget you."_

The way she had smiled at him made his heart race and he had to remind himself not to let it create wistful thoughts in his head. Her happiness is what matters the most. It's all he needs from her. Her friendship and her happiness.

The music ended and they drifted to a stop. Bart held her for a moment, knowing there wouldn't be many more occasions he could hold her this way. "My ingenious plan didn't work," he said with fringed disappointment. "He didn't get jealous and get off his butt to cut in."

Olivia felt her cheeks heat and dipped her head, her gaze searching for Oliver at their table. The table was empty. She looked around the dance floor that was starting to fill with more occupants eager to join in the next song, but he wasn't among them.

"Do you think he left?"

Bart shrugged and let his arms fall away from her. "Maybe he hasn't been in much of a partying mood tonight."

Olivia pursed her lips. She could feel it in her heart. If there was ever a time it was worth taking a chance, it was tonight. Squeezing his arm, she kissed Bart's cheek. "I'm going to look for him. Say goodnight to Connor for me."

Bart hugged her and kissed her back. "Sure. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Olivia left the tent, the chilly night air immediately biting into her skin, the thin layered ball gown doing nothing to fend off the cold. The leaves of paper blew up in the wind and Olivia wondered whether pieces of it would rip off and fly away leaving her exposed. Maybe being daring and wearing a fashion design student's portfolio creative piece wasn't such a bright idea for an outdoor event.

She took the garden path that let around the side of the house to the driveway. The valet was there supervising the parking attendants.

"Did Mr. Queen leave?"

"Do you know what car he was driving?"

Olivia frowned, she had to remember that not many people were as familiar with Oliver's face these days. Since Connor's discovery, only the trash tabloids printed anything on him. The general public weren't obsessed with the ex-billionaire playboy bachelor anymore. Honestly, she wasn't sure how he'd arrived tonight. She knew he still had the two cars that had belonged to his father and he'd bought another motorcycle. "I don't know. I guess I'll just check the house."

Her feet led her up and across the back porch and in through the double glass doors that lead to the drawing room. She entered the hallway and found light flickering from her father's den. Pausing in the doorway, she noticed from the tousled blond head that appeared above the armchair back, she'd found her mark.

"Pity party or can I join in?" she asked mildly.

Oliver swiveled in the chair, turned his head and fixed her with a look through narrowed eyes. "Oh, so you are talking to me? I missed that memo."

Kneeling down by the chair, she pried the bottle of Jack from his hands. Seeing his clothes rumpled, his lips wet with liquor and his breath smelling of alcohol sent her back to a certain occasion years ago, where her parents orchestrations had thrown them together. Apprehension curling in her stomach, she wet her bottom lip with her tongue and inched forward slowly. Did his mouth feel the same? She remembered how his kiss had been intoxicating, stripping her of her inhibitions and making her felt hot and desired.

He didn't move as she leaned closer, but he was studying her face with an intensity that encouraged her to keep coming. She touched her lips to his and at first his mouth didn't move, but only for the briefest second. His hand found the back of her head and he kissed her back, fiercely, desperately. Olivia felt like she was drowning. She threw her arms around his shoulders, and he hauled her into his lap.

He nipped at her bottom lip, let his tongue touch the tip of hers before delving deeper, stroking the inside of her mouth. She moaned against him loudly and he pulled her back suddenly.

Oliver looked at her confusion. He clapped his hand against his forehead. "It was you? How could I forget. I'm an idiot." His face reddened in embarrassment. "Olivia, seriously I was drunk. I didn't mean to call you Rachel. I knew it was you... at least now I remember. Damn."

Olivia felt her eyebrows pinch in confusion, she was trying to follow his rambling but wasn't succeeding, she felt truly lost. Touching her hand to his cheek, she angled his face so that their eyes met. "I don't care what happened before, only what happens now."

Oliver stared into her eyes before his gaze shifted to her mouth. He pulled her close, kissing her once more before lifting her up. "Come home with me."

Olivia smiled saucily, touching her nose to his. "I thought you'd never ask."

...

They spun into the bedroom, Olivia struggling to keep her legs moving in a straight line. He'd turned her limbs to jelly, she was sure of it. On the limo ride over, she'd lost her panties and he'd done wicked things with his fingers, till she was pulsing and humming like a tightly wound piano wire. He hadn't let up in his exploration of the territory hidden by the folds of her voluminous skirt and she'd only registered that they had an audience when the driver announced that they'd arrived at their destination.

Oliver ran his hands over her bodice. "Where's the damn zipper?"

Olivia pushed the hair out of her face. She'd lost all her pins a while back and her riotous curls where falling about her shoulders and in her eyes. Was she shivering? It felt like she was shivering but she wasn't cold in the slightest. She waved him off. "Just rip it."

Oliver looked stunned for a minute. Woman didn't usually announce that they wanted their clothing destroyed, although a few in his wilder days hadn't protested to having it done. None of them had ever been wearing ball gowns though. "You sure you can't just help me out here."

Frustrated, Olivia began pulling at the top of the tissue-paper bodice. "It's tear-able. Glue and paper. There's a zipper somewhere but I don't remember where and I can't be bothered going on a treasure hunt to find it. I need you to finish what you started," she said with a soft growl.

Giving up on breaking herself out of her paper prison of a dress, she pushed his jacket off his shoulders, and unraveled his tie. Oliver was still starting at her chest while she worked the buttons on his shirt.

She had it open and ran her fingertips down his stomach to his belt, before he decided to do something about her dress. He spun her around and ripped it down the back. It fluttered to the floor in a heap.

"Much better," she purred stepping out of the remains of her gown.

Oliver let his hands drift loosely to her waist. She was exquisitely proportioned; long lean legs, small waist, gently flared hips, very shapely breasts that he could palm nicely. She was naked save for the long black gloves that encased her arms. He'd divested her of her panties and pocketed them in his jacket during their trip home. He moved his hands up her arms, stopping at the top of her gloves. He pushed them down, touching the skin they exposed as he descended. The moonlight filtering in from the window bathed her satiny alabaster colored since in a blueish hue and he stopped at the sight of a thin scar that ran the length of her arm. He pulled off the gloves and tossed them away. He turned her arms slowly, inspecting them both.

Olivia fought the urge to cover them, remembering also that her bare legs had more vivid ugly scars, he had yet to notice. Putting a hand to his chest, she walked them back to his bed.

"When did this happen?" he asked, sitting down and pulling her to stand between his legs.

"We're forgetting the past, remember," she said quietly. "I need you here with me. I want to think about you. Right here, like this." Olivia dipped her head and kissed him. Running her hands into his short hair, she molded his head and anchored him there with her hands.

She felt him working his buckle and shimmying out of his pants. He was naked when he pulled her into his lap and she straddled him, the feeling of him pressed against her sending delicious shivers up her spine.

Just one little movement and he'd be inside her. The heat and moisture from her center making him twitch and ache with need. He cupped her face and held her back, searching her eyes for the truth. He wanted her badly but he didn't want there to be any regrets on her part. The glittering smokey desire he saw in those brown honey depths was all the answer he needed. Flipping her back onto the bed, he reached between them to fan her heat higher, wanting her to soar before he joined her at the peak.

He made love to her, slowly and expertly, she could feel him everywhere. His breath on her skin, his lips on her neck, his arms at her sides, his body moving over her, inside her. She cried out as the orgasm that took hold of her pulled her entire body taut before it snapped in release pulsing and clenching wildly. Her vision blacked out for a moment and nerve endings fired from the top of her head to toes. She gasped and shivered against him as he held her, as she trembled from the sensory overload. For a few seconds she felt like a livewire. His ministrations supercharging every sense she possessed, so that she felt even the tiniest hairs that stood on end on her fingers, every bead of sweat that dotted her skin and even the sound of her blood pumping through her veins. Her breathing was erratic, she was panting heavily and so was he. The feeling of unparalleled clarity was replaced by a wave of exhaustion that crushed her with its sudden weight.

Oliver held her to his chest and hooked her leg over his hip before rolling them to the side. The sheets pulled around them, trapping them in a thin cocoon. She smiled at him in her blissfully boneless state. His face was flushed with a healthy glow and he looked just as sweaty as she felt. She brushed back a lock of damp hair from his forehead and he captured her hand, interlacing their fingers. Drawing her hand down, he pressed a kiss to her palm, before holding it to his chest.

She could feel his thundering heartbeat against her hand. Hers probably wasn't fairing much different. She hated to alter the perfect moment but she needed to use the bathroom. "I'll be right back," she said kissing the tip of his nose.

Oliver nodded and kissed her lips before untangling his legs from hers. Pulling at the sheets caught around her hips, Olivia reluctantly took her hand from under his. She sat up and moved to the edge of the bed, standing slowly. It took a moment for her legs to fully take her weight. They felt even more uncooperative than before. It was like standing on twigs, liable to snap under the pressure at any moment. She took a step and faltered, catching herself on the bedpost. Maybe walking around wasn't such a good idea. She could hardly stay upright let alone walk in a straight line. Her hands shook and her knees threatened to buckle. Was this what the aftershocks of intense lovemaking felt like?

Olivia slowly made her way to the bathroom. She glanced at the bed, Oliver's eyes were closed and his arms where thrown up against the pillows. He looked so peaceful he might have already fallen asleep.

Using the wall for support, she made it to the bathroom and splashed her face with cool water. It didn't help the jitters much. Her face felt hot and although her vision was clear, she didn't feel in control or balanced. If she'd been thinking reasonably, she would have seen this coming. But she hadn't been thinking. That had been her problem right there. She'd given into her desire. She had let herself self control slip under the attention of his hands, and the intense hunger she'd read in his eyes. She'd never felt desired like that and he'd made her feel things she'd never experienced before. Before she could stop herself with reason she'd already fallen too deep. She knew full well that her body couldn't handle this much sensation. She'd put it through information overload, it was a wonder she hadn't blacked out.

Suddenly she wasn't standing straight anymore and she could feel herself pitching sideways. 'Help. I need help,' she thought. She moved her lips but all that came out was a weak whisper. She saw the porcelain tile coming up fast and then nothing.

Oliver flinched. He felt groggy, it took him a moment to realize that he must have drifted off. Olivia had just gotten out of bed. His last thought had been that he'd give her a minute and use the bathroom after her but then he must have passed out. He cringed at the thought. He'd never fallen asleep before on a bed partner. It was something he prided himself on. He was either out of practice or getting old. He frowned, he didn't like the thought of either.

It dawned on him that he'd heard a strange noise in his moment between wakefulness and sleep. A smacking sound, accompanied by kind of thud. "Olivia?" he called. Hearing no response and no water running, he scrambled out of bed. He founds his pants on the other side of the bed and pulled them on quickly, while walking into to the adjoining bathroom. In the doorway he saw her, sprawled on the floor completely naked. There was a splash of blood near her head and a stabbing pain tore through his chest.

He knelt at her side and lifted her to his lap gently while inspecting her for injuries. The blood had come from her mouth. Her teeth had cut the inside of her cheek. He checked her head for bumps next and found none in her hair but the side of her face was red and a large welt was forming where her head must have hit the floor.

His heart pounded painfully in his chest as he cradled her close. He pulled his towel robe from the hook nearby and put it around her. Lifting her gingerly, he carried her back to the bed. Laying her down, he brushed the dark curls from her face and picked up his phone. Why would she just fall unconscious? He didn't know much about her condition but he did know who to call.

While he waited for the call to pick up, he stared at her reminding himself to breathe.

"Emil?" he asked when the line finally answered.

Olivia's body started to shake and Oliver gasped as one second she was in front of him and the next she disappeared from the bed.

"No!" he screamed. He ran his hands frantically over the mattress as though he could get her to rematerialized if he willed her too. He looked under the bed and nothing.

_"Oliver?" Emil asked. "Oliver, what's going on?" He could hear the desperation in the man's voice and would do all that he could to help him. But he needed to know the problem first._

"She's gone. It looked like vanished through the bed."

_"Oliver, you're not making sense. Who's gone?"_

"Olivia," he yelled almost frantic. "She went to the bathroom, I found her on the floor. Now she's gone."

_"Was she conscious?"_

"No, she wasn't conscious," Oliver roared. _What sort of question was that?_

_"If she was unconscious she's not in-control of her abilities. She could continue phasing or it could have stopped at some point. Try searching the floors below or just follow the shrieks of surprise. Find her. I'm coming to you."_

Oliver snapped his phone shut and pulled on his shirt, he didn't bother buttoning it as he snatched up the bathrobe and took off out of the bedroom. Doc Hamilton was right, no sooner had he exited to the hallway, he heard a scream of shock. It was Ling, his housekeeper.

...

When Olivia opened her eyes, she felt cold floor against her back. Her brain was pulsing against her skull to be freed. The sounds around her were dull and gurgling like she'd put her head underwater. Bright spots dotted her vision and she was shivering uncontrollably. She felt ice cold all over and she blinked to try and clear her vision. The ceiling was a lot higher than she remembered. It was then that her hearing decided to return at full volume.

Screaming. Or maybe it wasn't screaming, it sounded a little more like wailing.

She turned her head, and discovered that she was in a room entirely eerily lit in a green hue. On the shelves were various weapons of all shapes and sizes and arrows. Arrows tipped with heads, some of which she could only imagine their intended purpose.

Her vision swum again and her head felt like someone had just taken sledge hammer to it in attempt to split it open. She put her palms to her skull trying to squash the pain and hold her head together.

Her heart skipped a few beats and thudded a few extra to make up for it. She was inside some secret room, an archer's room. Green Arrow. Lex was right. She did know the Green Arrow. Oliver was the Green Arrow.

"Security alert, security alert," a feminine voice cautioned.

There was a whirring noise and a black canon appeared from a space previously hidden by a wall panel. It started to take aim, locking onto her and she curled in on herself preparing for the worst. She blacked out before she could feel any pain.

Ling had pointed to the floor as he flew past her and he took it to meaning that Olivia had dropped through the floor again. He ran for his study and took the concealed elevator to his Arrow bunker. The sirens were blaring. She'd tripped the alarm. He put his palm on the scanner and initiated his audio override command.

"Athena, standby mode."

He crossed the room and put his palm on the pad to open to doors to the Arrow locker. He found Olivia curled on the floor. There were darts scattered all over the place.

He tried not to think about what would have happened if she didn't have the ability to phase. Not only would the darts been enough to render her unconscious for hours but there force of the blasts would have left deep bruises all over her body. There was a gust of air and he knew help had arrived.

Bart appeared behind him and put a strange kind of glowing band around Olivia's head. "A neural disruptor. It'll stop her from phasing."

It made sense that with Bart's speed he'd been able to see the exact moment in her phasing that the device would work. As soon as she was whole, he wrapped the robe around her and pulled her into his arms.

Olivia felt someone's cool touch on her head. It was like a soothing river running over her skin. She groaned softly and opened her eyes slowly. "I don't know what happened. I was just at the sink and the floor was there, then..." She saw Oliver looking down at her, his face a tight mask of agonizing worry. "I'm sorry, Ollie."

He looked at her, his brows pulling together in confusion. "You're sorry? Liv, just rest okay. You're killing me here."

Bart glared at him when he finally noticed her state of undress. "Great, I tell you don't do anything I wouldn't do. This is taking it easy?" he snapped.

He was still dressed in his formal wear. And with neatly stilled hair and grave expression, he looked a lot older than his twenty-three-years. Oliver frowned wondering what he meant about taking it easy. Uncomfortable with Olivia's lack of clothing in Bart's presence Oliver pressed her closer to his chest.

Oliver gave Bart a chilling look. "You're her friend, not her father."

Bart balled his hands into fists glared at Oliver. "You wanted one last hurrah, is that it? It could have killed her," he raged.

Olivia trembled in Oliver's arms and she couldn't keep the tears from spilling down her cheeks. "Bart," she tired to warn him softly, reaching for his hand.

Bart glanced at her and immediately clamped his mouth shut. So she still hadn't told him. He hung his head. The cat was out of the bag now.

"What are you talking about?"

Emil set his bag down and pulled at the collar of the robe. Oliver saw a small black casing for the first time and wondered how he hadn't noticed or felt it before. He closed his eyes tightly and fought the urge to let his anger show. Nobody had the chance to answer his question as Olivia went limp in his embrace. Emil searched for a pulse and checked her pupils. Her pupils didn't respond to light.

"We need to get her to the lab. We need to stabilize her," Emil said quickly. He didn't wait for Oliver to agree, he just wrestled Olivia from his arms and he was gone.

Emil hurried to the elevator, but Oliver stopped him. "I won't be able to sneak you out that way." He lead Emil to an emergency hatch that lead up to a secret entrance on the Queen grounds. Once they climbed out of the hatch, Oliver locked it and punched in the security reactivation code. A few seconds later, Bart reappeared and Emil disappeared too.

Oliver buttoned his shirt and thrust his hands in his pockets. He waited. A few more seconds passed and Bart was back. "I can drive you know," he said pointedly.

"Are you going to be a girl about it or are you just going to climb on?"

Oliver muttered under his breath and jumped on Bart's back.

"Dude, you need to stop with the Ding Dongs."

"Shut up and run," Oliver huffed.


	19. A Fragile Thread

**Acknowledgments: **With gratitude to **sxymami0909** for the beta. The epilogue will be up shortly. Do you want to read how it all ends?

* * *

**Chapter 19**

**S.T.A.R Labs**

Oliver and Bart stopped outside a large glass paneled room. You could see inside from all sides and through to other areas of the floor that served as Emil's advanced medical research and development division.

There were technicians scurrying about the room while Hamilton himself connected all sorts of electrodes to Olivia's head and chest.

Bart hit the door release and the glass panel opened, sliding to the left, allowing them entry. Emil looked up and nodded to Oliver. "Was she complaining of a headache, dizziness, did she have a nosebleed at all?"

Oliver shook his head. "I didn't even know she was sick? I didn't even know she had any special abilities."

"Please super-brain, can alter her cells on a molecular level, kick-ass ninja skills, can beat Emil at chess."

Doctor Hamilton pulled a face at that. "Can we focus here?"

"Will someone please explain to me what's going on?" Oliver said in exasperation, throwing his hands up. "How long has she been sick?"

Bart grimaced and hung his head. Kicking out his foot, he shot Emil a grave look and Oliver grumbled.

"She's dying isn't she? That's what you've all been keeping a secret? Do you think I would've wanted to know? What about Connor?"

"It was Olivia's call to make. It's not like she told any of us willingly. Emil knows because he's her treating physician. Has been since we got her back from Lex. Her parents know, well because you just can't get anything by Hannah, and well, I bullied her into telling me what was going on when she tried to avoid me."

Oliver locked his jaw together. It's what he should have done too. He cared about her. He'd worried about her. He could have demanded she let him know what was going on in her life, that she felt the need to run off on her own doing who knows what for that questionable clandestine operation. "How long does she have and what does she have?" he asked quietly, his voice a gruff whisper.

Emil nodded his dismissal of the assisting technicians and the three of them were left alone with Olivia. "With the rate of growth, not long. It depends how much we can continue to relieve the pressure the tumors are putting on her brain. We've put these small bore holes in to let fluid drain but..."

"Can't you remove them?" Oliver interjected.

"The tumors are being fed by the meteorite solution in her body. Lex pumped her full of it. Her levels are higher than any records we have of meteor infected individuals," Emil said. "I've been working on a way to filter it out, but even if we do manage to cleanse the toxin from her body, it won't do much for the tumors. We've approached leading neurologists with her case but none of them are willing to risk operating."

"I'll start calling a few people that..."

"Oliver, you and I know the same people remember? I was on your payroll once. You paid me to know the best in the field, to get results when no one else could. I wish there was an answer but we've tried. All of us. You think Richard and Hannah haven't tried throwing money at these guys? They just don't see any point. They can't see past the problem. To them she's dead already."

"That can't be it." Oliver refused to give up so easily. It felt like he'd been waiting to feel this kind of connection his whole life. He had a family. They were far from perfect, they kept secrets from each other, they fought, but he wanted this. He wanted them to be together. They were supposed to be a unit. The typical American family. They were just missing the second kid, the cat and the dog, but they could work on that. Everything had only just clicked together. For one all too brief moment everything had felt so right. It could be over. Not like this. There was an answer, they just weren't searching hard enough.

"As I was trying to explain before, there's a treatment I can try but it's experimental and there's a good chance the stress it'll put on her body might kill her anyway."

"What is it?" Oliver asked folding his arms over his chest. Emil's ideas always had solid science behind them. He wouldn't have even suggested the idea if he didn't think it wouldn't do what he believed it could do.

"Olivia was researching the power suit Lana stole from Luthorcorp. The nano-technology that absorbed meteor radiation. I believe she was hoping if she could suck the radiation out of her body, her unique cellular regenerative ability would take care of the rest. Her mother's cells regenerate, slowing her aging process right down. She's about 11 times younger than her peers. Olivia has that ability too. Not quite to the same level but she does heal rapidly. She has also never suffered any bone fractures, she's never been sick, and her only weakness is her body's copious nutritional and hydration demands.

"Considering the only thing keeping her tangible right now are those little chips in her head, I'd say we're already on borrowed time. What did she think of your idea?" Oliver pointed out.

"I hadn't told her I'd finished it yet," Emil said sadly. "I've upped her fluids, given her another dose of serum and I'm waiting for her vitals to stabilize. Once we see a positive change, we can hope she'll come around again. She shuts down under stress, it's her brains way of protecting itself."

"We could call J'onn. He was able to communicate with her last time," Bart added.

Oliver nodded in agreement. J'onn would be able to link with her telepathically, they could get a better idea of what was really going on inside. "I'm going to call Richard, they'd want to know she's here. Does Connor know anything?"

Bart heaved a sigh. "Olivia didn't want him to worry. The adoption was finalized last week, but she also saw a lawyer to get her will revised. She's left everything to Connor, nominated me executor but she's left guardianship to you."

Oliver sat on a chair in the corner and put his head in his hands. "Why couldn't she tell me?"

Emil put a hand on his shoulder. "These past few months, she's lost a lot of her sense of self. She's made choices I believe she wouldn't have if her mental capacity weren't impaired. There have been a few changes in her personality I've noticed. I'm sure if she'd stayed around long enough, you would have noticed too. She didn't want to deal with questions, and she certainly didn't want pity. She was probably protecting herself mostly."

Bart put his hands in his trouser pockets and swallowed with difficulty. "She thought it would be easier for us to let her go, if she was already gone."

Oliver snorted. "Yeah great logic there. The grief is ten times worse when you're not prepared for it. She knew how I was after my parents died. How could she do it to Connor?"

Bart yanked his hands out and curled them into fists, his anger quickly at boiling point again. "She never wanted to hurt Connor. She can't stop herself from dying."

Oliver launched out of the chair and towered over the shorter man, daring him to start this fight of who more right to be angry in this situation. "Then why not tell him? Let him have time with her while he still could!"

"This isn't Connor. You're just pissed she kept it from you!" Bart yelled pointing his finger in Oliver's face.

Oliver made a grab for Bart but the younger man saw him coming and dodged him easily. Oliver caught himself before plowing through the glass door. He whirled. "Stand still."

Bart scoffed at him. "Why would I do that. You've got calls to make. Pull yourself together." That said, he sped out of the room.

Emil stood to one side shaking his head at them both. He wanted to tell them both how juvenile they were being but he thought he'd save his breath. The bickering would stop once Hannah arrived. She could command a room to order like no one else he'd ever met.

He grabbed an extra sheet from a cupboard and pulled it over Olivia. They weren't equipped to provide comfortable hospital care, but they had state of the art diagnostics systems, better than any hospital in Star City. And if they were going to use this experimental procedure, then he'd have to keep her here. No hospital administrator would condone, much less understand the treatment he was going to administer.

**Three hours later**

J'onn held Olivia's hand and closed his eyes so that Olivia's parents wouldn't see them glowing. Emil had explained that he had a telepathic ability. Hannah had just assumed he was metahuman. Nobody bothered to correct her.

_Olivia opened her eyes, she felt so warm, her skin positively tingled. The waterfall behind her cascaded over the ridge and into the pool where she stood at the waters edge. She remembered this place. A family holiday to Australia. The remote tropical-like bush land, such rich colors surrounded her. She knelt down and touched her fingers to the water. While the air was warm, the afternoon sun beating down on her shoulders, the water was almost frigid, it was fresh from the alpine ranges._

_"Are you going to stand there all day or you gonna join me?"_

_Olivia looked up to see Oliver treading water. He gave her a cheeky teasing look, before flicking water at her. This wasn't right. Oliver had never come along on this trip and any minute now her father was going to come running down the dirt trail and cannon ball into the pool dressed in his baggy blue board shorts._

_Much as she wanted to strip off and cuddle up to Ollie, none of this was real. She was dreaming again. Reliving memories, only this time she was mixing it up with fantasy._

_A large, comforting hand touched her arm. His touch was familiar to her, as was his voice. "You are right. This is a dream."_

_She turned to see J'onn in his human form. "You know you don't have to do that for me J'onn," she said gently._

_He shimmered to his natural state and smiled at her widely. "Force of habit. I adopt the form people would find the least startling. I've been told that John Jones is attractive in appearance."_

_Olivia giggled. "Yes, he is, but he's not really you, J'onn. I think you're wonderful just the way you are. You have the most beautiful heart. So noble and honest."_

_"Hardly," J'onn said quietly. "Very few know the truth about me. All I present are deceptions."_

_"Artifice in appearance. I'm talking about what doesn't change. What's here," she said touching his forehead with the tips of her fingers, before letting her hand fall to his chest, resting over his heart._

_A defined, muscled, masculine arm circled her waist, and she felt his hand flatten against her abdomen. Her clothes dissolved to a string bikini and she felt her face flame in embarrassment. He drew her back against his toned, sculpted chest and her warm skin came into contact with his wet cool skin. She closed her eyes as her heartbeat began to race in her chest. "Who's fantasy is this anyway?" she said uncomfortably._

_J'onn touched her cheek. "It's yours Olivia. You desire him all of the time. You bury it deeply, but here you can't suppress it."_

_Olivia opened her eyes, failing to keep her cheeks from flaming as Oliver started drawing lazy circles over her stomach while kissing and sucking on her neck. "Well if I can't control it, I'd really prefer you tell me what you wanted to ask me J'onn so you can go. I'm no exhibitionist and if this is even half as embarrassing for you as it is for me..."_

_J'onn smiled and averted his gaze. "A yes, the reason for my presence here, Emil has developed nano-technology based on the Prometheus suit. They are hoping you would consent to trying it. It's the only viable option for treatment."_

_"Yes, yes, I consent," she squeaked hurriedly as she felt Oliver's nimble fingers untying the laces to her bikini top._

_J'onn nodded and disappeared._

Oliver took in J'onn's complexion. His dark skin looked decidedly reddish and he tried to avoid glancing in his direction but failed and Oliver noticed that he looked embarrassed. What had he seen in Olivia's head?

"She said yes," he said quickly.

J'onn let go of Olivia's hand and hurried out of the room. Oliver followed him and stopped his hasty retreat.

"Wait a minute."

"Oliver, while Olivia is very understanding of the occasions I have had to enter her mind. She was very uncomfortable this time and I'm giving her privacy. She has limited control over her thoughts, and we are very in tune. Sometimes I can sense her from a great distance, even if I try to force it out. I need to leave this place."

Shaking his head, slightly unsettled at what J'onn might have seen while he was in there, Oliver let him go. Entering the room, he found Emil about to stab Olivia with long needle. "What on earth is that for!"

Hannah was holding his wrist back. "You shoot her with that now and you'll stop her heart."

"We need to get her rhythm back to normal. It's this or the paddles."

"I left for a second, what happened?" he snapped at Bart.

Bart shrugged a frown marring his face. "She was fine and then you left and her BP and heart rate getting erratic. Emil's worried she's about to crash."

Oliver heard J'onn's voice in his head. _Just wait. Give her a minute._ "Just wait," Oliver said impulsively.

Emil and Hannah whipped their heads to him. "What?"

"Wait. Look," he said pointing at the monitor. The numbers were slowly dropping until they were elevated but not critically worrying.

"What on earth was that all about?" Hannah wondered aloud, her hand brushing over Olivia's forehead. "Her skin is damp."

Oliver started to put it together; J'onn's awkward departure, what he said. Oliver felt himself smirking and chuckling before he could think to reign it in.

"You know something," Bart said shoving his shoulder. "Care to share it with the rest of us?"

"No!" Oliver said vehemently.

Emil looked at Olivia who looked serene now, and cataloged her physical changes, the rapid heartbeat and increase of O2 intake and shot Oliver a shrewd glance. "I've been told that she has a very vivid mind. It's possible that her dreams feel real to her, intensely so."

Hannah muttered to herself. Oliver thought he heard her say corrupted innocence and he tried not to wave when she shot him a dirty look.

"Right, so how do you do this?"

"We remove the radiation in stages, so the shock to her system isn't dramatic. There aren't enough nano-bugs to filter it all at once anyway."

"What can we do to help?" Bart asked.

"I've never been able to figure out how much sedative I can give her safely to keep her under. She's unconscious already and I'd really prefer J'onn here so we can keep the link to her mind. Her EEG patterns are hard to interpret with all the changes she's gone through, and considering she isn't alert, I want to know if we're not actually doing more damage than good."

"I'll call him back..." Oliver said.

"I'm here," J'onn said quietly from the doorway. "Richard was wondering if they should call Connor. I thought I would retrieve him from his girlfriends house."

Oliver gave his son a dark look, the boy shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"I wasn't sleeping over! Hannah said she'd pick me up before 11."

"We'll they're about to start. They want you to monitor her, J'onn," Bart explained.

J'onn nodded and moved back to his post by Olivia's side. Connor took the seat in the corner and stared at the bed. "Is she really sick?"

Bart squeezed his shoulder. "Sorry, buddy. She didn't want you to worry but there's no point hiding it anymore."

Connor wrung his hands together. "This sucks. First mom, now Olivia? Why is this happening to us?"

"I don't know," Oliver said tightly. "Life's never fair." He watched tears pool in his son's eyes. "We'll be okay Connor. And she might pull through yet. Emil's going to try to save her."

"But it won't work," Connor said bitterly. "She knew that. She said in her last email that her abilities were getting unpredictable. That she was dangerous. That she hurt someone. She never wanted to hurt anyone. She was supposed to be protecting people."

Oliver wondered who she could have been talking about. She had come home and she'd stopped working for Checkmate. Or at least she's stopped her undercover work in Gotham anyway. "I thought her ability was purely defensive?"

Bart knew what Olivia had been referring to. It was her last night in Gotham. The night she could have killed Chloe. "It wasn't her ability so much as her judgment that she didn't trust anymore. Olivia never hurt anyone. At least not physically," he said a twinge of hurt in his voice. He wanted to tell himself he was thinking purely about Connor in that sense, but if he was being honest, he was referring to himself. Part of his mind wondered if he'd have been happier never meeting her at all. He was going to lose her. A lot sooner than he ever expected to. She was such a smart, beautiful bright part of his life. He couldn't let her go. He didn't know how he could say goodbye.

Oliver watched the emotions that crossed the younger man's face. He felt his own pain and frustrations build in intensity. If Olivia didn't have Bart to turn to, he might have been able to get her to open up himself. He was the one that had known her whole life. But he knew these thoughts were selfish. He should be happy that she'd had someone to talk to. That at least someone had been watching over her.

"Thank you for being there for her, Bart," Oliver said sincerely, his voice breaking.

Bart nodded unable to form a reply.

Emil drew on the robotic glove and touched the nano-bot pouch to Olivia's nose. Bart tried not to flinch when he saw twin silver streams disappear into her nose. With the nanites fully released, Emil drew his hand away and looked at the monitors. Almost immediately Olivia's body began seizing on the bed.

Connor jumped out of his chair and Oliver had to hold him back. "What are you doing to her!"

"It's the nanites. They're working," Emil assured him.

"Her BPs climbing again. J'onn?" Hannah asked.

J'onn kept his head bowed. "She's okay."

The nano-bugs having done their job were starting to come back out. They weren't silver anymore. The steady, free-moving, fluid-like substance coming from her nose was a pulsing iridescent green.

Once they were back in the glove, Emil activated a control telling the nanites to release what they had collected. Tiny green fibers filtered down a tube that linked the glove to a lead encased, pressurized canister on the floor. "You want to stay for all of this? It's going to be a long process," he said addressing each of them.

Nobody moved. He nodded and continued working. Hours passed, and during the treatment, Olivia's BP went up but after each withdrawal of the nanites, she stabilized.

It was early morning, Bart had brought more chairs from around the lab, and Connor had fallen asleep, his head resting on Oliver's shoulder. Richard and fallen asleep his head tilted back resting against the glass wall. Bart was hovering, pacing restlessly on one end of the room, and Hannah and J'onn stood quietly side by side while Emil worked tirelessly.

All of a sudden, there were wild alarms startling everyone out of their stupor.

"What's going on," Oliver asked. He'd been watching silently from his chair in the corner. This was the first time there had been any kind of warning bell, since he'd walked in on Emil trying to stab Olivia with an enormous looking needle before.

"She's crashing."

"2ml eppy and get me paddles," Hannah said waving at the cart behind Emil.

Bart created a small hurricane in the room when he sped around to replace what he suspected was an empty cartridge in Olivia's dispersal chamber. He hung and connected a fresh IV bag too before Emil could even respond to Hannah's demand. Everyone was so engrossed in their own thought processes that nobody even noticed the fluttering papers, floating about the room.

"We can't. The nanites are still inside. An electric pulse could cause them to malfunction and they could be anywhere in her body. We can't risk the damage they could cause to her organs, we have to wait."

J'onn's head snapped up. "She's fading."

Oliver shot out of his chair, Connor jolting awake. "Waaa...What's going on?"

Oliver gripped the rail on her bedside tightly. "Emil, we have to do something."

The doctor had grown quiet. "Look, the tumors they're shrinking... I didn't think..." He stared at the brain images, the scanner continued to refresh on the screen.

"Didn't think what?" Oliver growled. He could see the images too but didn't understand. The tumors were shrinking, didn't that mean she should be getting better not worse?

"Her body must be clear, they're attacking the tumors," Emil mused in quiet fascination.

"And that's bad because..." Oliver prompted wanting the doctor's prognosis to hurry along.

Hannah's eyes widened with fear. "We need to get her into an OR. The tumors put enormous pressure on her cranial tissue, once they're gone, there's bound to be swelling and bruising and..."

Emil met her eyes, real anxiety showing on his face. "I didn't account for this. The vent holes might not be enough..." Already he was gently feeling in her hair for the black pieces of artificially grown skin covering the small holes in Olivia's skull with his free hand.

"Richard," Hannah snapped. "Call Wynter at Star City General and have her book the OR. Olivia needs immediate surgery."

The nanites came out again but instead of her pulse returning to normal, Olivia's heart stopped. "Paddles!" Hannah cried.

Bart looked at J'onn, his friend's head was bowed and his eyes tightly closed. His fist were curled at his sides and his lips were set into a grim line.

"J'onn?" he prompted.

"She's not... I can't hear her," he said his voice barely a whisper.

"Stop," Bart said to Emil.

"What?" Everyone else exclaimed in unison, well everyone but Connor who just stared at him in stunned disbelief.

"She signed a D.N.R."

Emil seemed confused, Hannah looked incensed and Richard looked like he was about to blow a fuse.

"How do you know?" Oliver demanded.

Bart shrugged one shoulder. "I saw her sign it when she got a tenth or twentieth opinion two days ago. The surgeon said he'd operate but only if she signed a waiver of no liability. She also signed a DNR."

"We're not in a hospital, it doesn't apply to us here," Hannah reasoned.

"I'm still bound by it. The procedure is different and I wasn't operating but I am a practicing doctor. I can't go against her wishes."

"She didn't want to live as a vegetable. She knew she was terminal and even if they did get it all, if she had no brain activity, she didn't want you to have to make the call to turn her off," Bart finished in a rush. It had taken all the strength he had left to get it all out but he knew it had to be said. As much as it killed him to admit defeat, he wouldn't keep her like this. She wasn't Olivia anymore. Her mind was gone. He chanced a glance at J'onn. His martian friend looked exhausted and gutted. Much like he felt.

The static line continued to hum.

"I'm not a doctor. I'll do it." Oliver flicked the switch and checked the dial before, grabbing the paddles. "Get out of the way," he said elbowing past Emil. "Clear."

He shocked Olivia and glanced up at the monitor. There was still no rhythm. "Clear." He released the charge again. He did it once more, Connor watching the entire time with wide-eyes, visibly flinching with every hiss and thump.

"Please stop," Richard cried. "Oliver, you're just... Don't do it again," he begged. Every time he saw his daughter's body jerk off the bed, his heart thudded and missed a beat in his chest. He had to accept the painful truth that she was gone.

Emil switched off the defibrillator and took the paddles from Oliver's hands. "We tried."

Oliver looked over at J'onn. His eyes were open, they were the natural Martian black and Oliver could swear they were glistening. "J'onn," he warned gently. His eyes reverted to a human dark brown immediately and his friend nodded his thanks for the prompt.

Hannah collapsed and J'onn caught her. "She's exhausted. You should take her home," J'onn said to Richard.

"I'll drive you both," Bart said quietly. He supported Hannah on one side and Richard took the other.

Oliver sat down in a nearby chair heavily. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Connor taking Olivia's hands, he closed his eyes at the picture of grief on his son's face. Pulling his phone out of his pocket he dialed a number.

_"Hello?"_ came the sleep heavy voice.

"I need you to save her," Oliver croaked brokenly. "Please Chloe. I need her."

_"Oliver?"_ she said more alert now. _"I would if I could, but she's meteor infected. My ability doesn't work on..."_

"Emil cured her but her body couldn't take the sudden change, she... we couldn't bring her back."

_"Oliver,"_ she sighed sadly. _"...I can't,"_ she said struggling to get the words out.

"She's your friend, Chloe. You know I wouldn't ask if I had a choice and I'm..."

_"Oliver, I promised her I wouldn't. She didn't want me to risk it. She didn't want to be the one breathing if I didn't come back."_

_"How dare you!"_ Bruce raged. _"Where do you get off asking her to do this! How selfish can you get? You know her abilities aren't an exact science. You were here when we thought she'd died and you're asking her to risk that! What's wrong with you?"_

Oliver didn't argue, he didn't even bother to offer his defense. He understood Bruce's anger all to well but he was desperate, he couldn't fight this feeling that he could be doing something. That there was a way to save her. He heard the hushed sounds of an argument on the other end of the line and then Chloe was back.

_"She saved my life Oliver. When the Joker took over the Asylum, Olivia was there. She saved a lot of lives that day. I would do anything for her and that's why I can't give you this. I made a promise,"_ she said with choked sob.

Oliver clicked off his phone. He didn't want to hear her tears, he had enough of them threatening to spill out of his own throat. Head in his hands, he let them fall. "I didn't get to tell her," he whispered mournfully.

He felt J'onn's hand on his shoulder. "She knew Oliver. Before I lost her. Before she faded, she said she loved you. She said to say she never stopped and not to be angry. To live without regrets, to love Connor enough for her too."

Oliver nodded, his chest tightening with overwhelming emotion. He watched Connor crying openly, his shoulders shaking while he buried his face against Olivia's shoulder. Clearing his throat, he roughly brushed away his tears with the back of his hand. "I should take him home. He needs to sleep. Olivia would want me to take care of him first."

J'onn nodded and stood back so that Oliver could move past him to retrieve his son. After they left, it was only Emil and himself remaining. Emil was packing away equipment and set about removing all the electrodes and wires from Olivia's body. He reached up and gently pried out the inhibitor chips from her head. J'onn knew he had to leave too. Emil would call a service soon, to have her body transferred to a mortuary. He knew from Bart's thoughts that Olivia had requested to have her organs donated and her body cremated. It was too late for the first request. She'd died quickly and he didn't have the strength to tell Emil to do the harvesting procedure. J'onn paused at the door, and just as he touched the release button, his eyes flashed red.


	20. Epilogue

**Acknowledgments: **With gratitude to **sxymami0909** for the beta.

* * *

**Epilogue**

**Wayne Manor, Nine years later**

"Wow Ollie! Don't you look the rogue," Chloe teased with a laugh.

Oliver fingered his beard and jutted out his chin. "I thought of shaving it off, but the ladies seem to fancy it, so I thought I'd hang onto it for awhile."

"Well come in, I mean the house is a bit chaotic at the moment. Bruce is away and the boys tend to get a bit stir crazy indoors." She waved him in and Oliver had to side step a skate board just inside the door. Chloe closed the door once he was inside the foyer. "I usually take them out, but I'm babysitting at the moment."

Oliver suppressed a laugh. "Your own brood isn't enough?"

He'd heard that Chloe and Bruce had adopted two boys. The mother of the youngest had turned out to be a mild psychopath with designs on Bruce. When he didn't succumb to her advances, she'd programmed the supply of a gas plant that supplied all of Gotham to overload. Gas lines had sprung wide spread leaks and resulting explosions had caused many casualties. People had died from methane poisoning or freak fires. The woman had been jailed, serving concurrent life sentences for her crimes. Her son, with no living relatives, had been set to become a ward of the state. Bruce and Chloe had adopted him. At six years old, Damian, had been a handful at first, resentful and bitter. However, under the loving attention of Alfred and Chloe, with the diligent mentoring of both Tim and Bruce, a bright, resourceful and appreciative young soul had emerged.

Bruce had run into Tim a few years back in the Narrows. His father had been a washed up fighter who was rarely sober and neglected his boy, leaving him to find his own meals and clothing. Tim had practically raised himself. After his father ran up debts that he couldn't repay, thugs had come to collect and killed him. With no way to pay rent, Tim lived on the streets. A run in with Batman led him to figuring out Bruce's alter-ego and a partnership was born. Tim had been reading about Batman and Nightwing fighting crime on the streets of Gotham for years. Living with Bruce and Chloe was a dream come true for him. There was never a more eager, intelligent or pleasant orphan. Okay, so there was Annie but was she even real?

Oliver pushed his hands into his pockets and thought about how to answer Chloe. It was the second time he'd just dropped in on her life without warning. She and Bruce were the only ones he felt he'd be welcomed by. He'd been on the road with Hal for years after Olivia died and after Carol had tried to kill Hal for the third time.

They'd traveled the globe fighting crime and giving power back to the oppressed. After eight years they'd finally decided to called it a day. Hal was going to Oa. He was ready for another assignment. Losing Carol to the Star Sapphire, he struggled to reach her, to remind her of who she was but it was no use. The crystal persona had complete control and all it wanted was his death.

Both of them found it difficult to come to terms with their loss, and so they had taken to roaming, never settling for long in one place, always serving justice. Hal had used the ring sparingly over the years, as a result he'd only needed to return to the source twice. He used good old fashion muscle, brains and service training to get him through most of the time.

Oliver wondered what it would have been like if he'd stayed. He'd tried for awhile to bond with Connor. They'd tried to make it work as a family for a year. He'd taken Connor to Ashram Monastery. After Olivia died, Connor had retreated into himself, started acting out at school, starting fights, arguing with the teachers. Oliver realized that he wasn't going to be able to help him through it when he wasn't dealing with his own grief very well. He'd gone to Ashram once for solace. He thought maybe he could find it there again. So they'd stayed together. Oliver taught him archery and learned a little of the boy's history.

Of how he'd come to know Olivia and what Connor's life was like growing up with his mother, Sandra. But after a year, Oliver grew restless and when he couldn't stand the boy's questioning eyes any longer he left. He was a coward. He realized that. The kid only asked because he missed her too. If fact, he'd stopped asking after awhile because he was a smart kid, Connor knew Oliver wouldn't keep turning him down. He knew the silence meant not to ask, so he stopped. But it didn't stop the lingering glances. It didn't stop Connor from pulling out those family pictures of his and inadvertently torturing Oliver with them.

Chloe chewed her lip and squeezed the little hand she was holding. Smiling down at the toddler fondly, she ruffled her hair. Oliver followed her gaze and found himself stunned into silence. The girl was very petite, with large, moist blue eyes, a small button-like nose and chubby rosy cheeks. She looked about two-years-old. He couldn't be sure. He didn't spend a lot of time around kids. She was standing on her own and she looked thoughtful. He doubted babies could look like that. Something inside him hurt just looking at her. She looked so much like a face he remembered. Her eyes especially. So much like eyes that haunted his dreams.

"Gabriella, this is Oliver. He's a friend of mine. How 'bout we invite him to lunch, huh?"

"Lunch," Gabriella agreed with a nod of approval. Letting go of Chloe's hand she scampered off head along in the direction of the kitchen.

Chloe clapped her hands together and squeezed them. "So how have you been?" she asked, in a tone that implied she was trying to make pleasant conversation.

Oliver shrugged and followed her as they made their way down the hallway. _Gabriella._ The kid shared his mother's name. Chloe couldn't have known that though. Nobody knew his mother's full name. She never used it. Laura Gabriella Rogers-Queen. He half smiled at the memory.

"Been better. Thought it was high time I get my act together. Not getting any younger and I realized that I didn't have to be a loner if I didn't want to be. Don't want to die alone in the bush someplace and not have anyone remember me."

Chloe touched his arm. "We're always here for you Oliver. You never gave us a chance to help you."

Oliver ground his jaw together and shied away from her touch. "I know," he said gruffly.

"I just wish she had of told me, you know? We could have had more time..."

Chloe let out a shaky breath and stiffened, unable to meet his eyes for a moment. "You haven't spoken to anyone yet have you?"

"Auntie Coiee," came a shrill little cry.

Chloe jumped into action, running to the kitchen. Flinging the door open, she saw Gabriella leaving over the kitchen counter, precariously balanced on the edge of the bar stool while she tried reaching for the bread in the cupboard.

"Ella!" Chloe cried sweeping her into her arms before the little girl could topple. "You could have fallen. Do you want to give me a heart attack?"

Oliver tried not to laugh at the sight of Chloe mildly hyperventilating. "You're a real seasoned carer."

"Shut up," Chloe said with a scowl, narrowing her eyes at Oliver.

"Not nice," Gabriella said folding her arms and looking up at Chloe with a frown.

Chloe huffed and glared at Oliver again. "Sorry, Ella, but he wasn't being very nice to me."

She sat the little girl at the island counter, and picked up the chair from where Gabriella had moved it and put it back in its place. Chloe set about getting the ingredients to make sandwiches and put them down on the counter top.

"If I remember, you make pretty good salad sandwiches. The meat's in the fridge. You can do this while I round up the troops."

She didn't wait around to hear him argue, she turned and stalked out of the kitchen.

Oliver shook his head at the flipping kitchen door and sighed. "Okay, squirt, what do you want on yours?"

"Hahnut and jelly," she said her eyes widening with glee.

Oliver's eyes bugged and he gripped the butter knife tighter. Chloe had left him with a two-year-old that was already plotting to kill him. "Ah, I can't make that one for you. If you want that one, you'll have to wait for Chloe to come back."

"Please," she said cocking her head to the side and batting her eyelids, while giving him a toothy smile.

Oliver choked. Did a two-year-old just try to sweet talk him? He had to be asleep. Toddlers weren't capable of manipulation were they? He narrowed his eyes at her. "How old are you?"

"Near-ny two," she said proudly, before looking down at her hand to selecting two fingers to show him. "Dis many."

Oliver laughed, she looked so cute doing her best to keep the other fingers down while she showed him just two fingers. Before he could stop her, she'd climbed onto the counter top and was stroking his beard. She laughed, her eyes almost closing as she giggled. She pulled her hand back to her chest.

"Tickle," she said smiling widely.

"Ah Miss Gabriella, you've made a new friend I see," Alfred said warmly.

The old man appeared behind them from inside the Butler's Pantry. He must have come in from the garage. He leaned heaving on his cane and had a trolley full of groceries behind him.

"Need any help, Alfred?" Oliver knew from prior experience that unwanted help could be offensive to people who prided themselves on being capable and efficient.

Alfred shook his head and smiled. "It's very good to see you Master Oliver. We've missed you around here."

Oliver snorted. "Doubt that. Bruce would never admit to missing anyone and Chloe... Well Chloe's too nice for her own good."

Alfred nodded and went to wash his hands. Tying on an apron, he dried his hands. "Well little miss, I believe you'd like hazelnut spread and jam, is that right?"

"Nut butter," the little raven haired head bobbed excitedly.

"I thought she said peanut," Oliver scratched his neck. It was kind of hard to interpret a husky, sometimes clipped-kiddy voice.

Alfred smiled. "She has a mild allergy to peanuts, but she can have most other nuts. Her mother is very strict about a wholesome vegetarian diet so we stock everything she can eat in abundance. We're a peanut free zone here."

Oliver watched as Alfred spread the bread with a gooey, oily substance followed by a thin paste of apricot jelly. The sandwich was cut and placed on a plate in front of the child who folded her hands and closed her eyes.

"Thank oo, Jesus. Amen." Grace said, she promptly took a large bite out of her bread and gave them both a crumb and jelly encrusted grin. "Yum. Thank oo, Uncle."

Alfred blushed and wiped his hands on his aprons. "You're welcome, little miss."

The back door flung open and a red faced Tim came stomping in. His right cheek was splotching and his shirt was covered in grass stains.

"It was an accident," came a yell from outside.

Chloe and Damian appeared soon after and Chloe stood with her hands on her hips. "Apologize to Tim and go and get him an ice pack."

"Sorry, Tim," Damian mumbled before stalking toward the walk in refrigerator. Yanking it open, he disappeared inside the frosty mist and reappeared a moment later with an ice pack.

Alfred passed him a dish towel and Damian wrapped it before offering it to Tim.

"Thanks," Tim said gruffly, packing the towel to the side of his face. He winced at the contact.

"It really was an accident," Damian wailed.

Chloe rolled her eyes and moved past both boys. "What happened to the sandwiches?" she asked Oliver pointedly.

Oliver shrugged and gestured at Gabriella who was happily munching away. "I was working on it."

Chloe couldn't resist smiling. "You've known her five minutes and she's already got you right where she wants you."

Oliver leaned back against the stove. "So what's the relation? She's not Lois' is she? Although it would explain how she's got the flirting down already."

Chloe smacked him on the arm. "She's twenty-three-months-old. She doesn't flirt... she..." She glanced at Gabriella and stopped talking as she noticed that the little girl had stopped eating and was listening intently to their conversation.

Damian took a large bit of the sandwich Alfred had presented him with and said while chewing, "She manipulates. Don't know what's worse, her doe-eyed pout or that kid in her day care that screams like a banshee when she doesn't get her way."

"Screaming, definitely," Tim argued, cringing at the audible memory.

Oliver folded his arms and stared at the child, he could sense Chloe shifting uncomfortably less than three feet away. Suddenly she took his arm and led him out of the kitchen.

His eyes were still fixed on the kitchen door, when he felt Chloe tugging on his jacket.

"Oliver? Hey?"

Oliver looked down at her wide moss green eyes. There was a time when he'd have thought her incapable of hurting anyone, but he was beginning to suspect she was about to gut him.

"Who's her mother?" he asked, barely able to control the agitation in his voice. Some invisible force was crushing him. The kid was intelligent, like possibly the next MENSA prodigy brain, she had dark hair, curly, just like someone he known before, and those eyes. Those keen, innocent, expressive blue eyes there was only one other person that he'd ever met with eyes like that.

"Olivia. Olivia King is her mother."

"Was," Oliver hissed savagely, although the statement made no sense at all he didn't know why it stirred something so violent inside him. How could a dead woman have a daughter less than two years old?

"Think about it Oliver. She's not even two. You watched Olivia die nine years ago."

"Exactly, I watched her die. I shocked her about five times to get her to come back. I begged you to save her," he ground out angrily. Bruce never let him forget that. "In the end I had to let her go."

There was a reason that Chloe, Bruce and Hal were among the few he still spoke to. He felt nobody else understood what he went through. If anyone had stepped up and staged an intervention sooner, if any one of them had thought to tell him what was going on before, they might have been able to save her. Richard, Hannah, Bart, Emil, even J'onn. None of them had wanted to act against her wishes. Olivia had been as good as mentally incapacitated, none of them had that excuse. If they'd cared about how it effected Connor and himself, they would have said something.

"Oliver, she's alive. Has been for the last two and a half years," Chloe explained in a quiet resigned voice.

Oliver staggered back, staring at her. There was no way. He would have heard, someone would have told him. Her parents. He shook his head recalling that Olivia's parents had died a few years ago. A boating accident. They'd gotten caught in a storm. "Nobody told me."

"She came out of stasis. It was a surprise to everyone. The JLA keep watch for activity on the old Moon base. It's the only relic out there that's still a secret. There was an energy spike in one of the laboratories. Turns out J'onn had brought her there and put her in one of the medical stasis pods. Stole her body from the morgue before she was cremated. Kept it a secret for all these years. He knew the technology existed and after she died, he couldn't let her go. He was convinced she wasn't dead, that he could still sense her but he believed there was no sense in sharing his feelings when he felt he could trust his judgment. He hadn't been around anyone who's mind was so much like his own. He feared that he was taking her death to personally. That maybe what he was doing was the act of a desperate man. He theorized that perhaps her body had just gone into hibernation like the Martian or Kryptonian physiology does when one sustains serious injury. The metabolism slows right down, the body mimics death. The heart beat is so slow and faint a machine wouldn't detect it. Dr. Mid-Nite said that if J'onn hadn't put her in stasis, without the proper medical care, she would have died for real. Olivia's told me that her mother also suffered from a year long coma before she was born. Her body making radical changes to her genetics for some kind of experiment she trialed which caused the coma."

Oliver ran a hand through his unkempt shaggy hair. "So she's alive. And Gabriella?" his voice broke.

What he was hearing was so unreal. Like something out of a sci-fi film. They'd scattered ashes that weren't hers? J'onn had kept her hidden all these years, never said a word. He'd tried filling the void left in his heart with work, he'd even taken a chance on love again, trying to rekindle an old flame after he'd returned from Ashram. But he and Dinah had just ended up at each others throats again.

They'd divorced after only six volatile months together. It wasn't all thorns. There had been some good times but for all the highs, the lows were just as bitter. He knew a large part of it was his fault. Nobody could live up to his memory of her. No matter how much he wanted the pain to end, it was something his soul and his body just couldn't seem to shake.

Chloe knew what he was asking even though he'd stopped short of saying it aloud. "She doesn't talk about him. We weren't there for any of that. If it weren't for my mother, I doubt I would have learned Olivia was alive. She keeps to herself."

Oliver stopped pacing and whirled on her. "Your mother. She's out of her catatonia? The doctors finally had a break through?"

Chloe shook her head, her eyes shining at the thought of her now lucid, happy and healthy mother. "Not exactly. Olivia explained to the doctors about a unique technology that could remove greenK poisoning. That being said not only is the operation risky with odds mostly on the side of death, Olivia's blood has healing properties. Since my abilities changed a few years back, Olivia knew I couldn't heal mom, even with the meteor infection removed. So she tried her own treatment. It worked. It was the best Christmas present I've ever received in my life. Of course you can't keep gratitude like a secret. My mother spilled the news the second we were both capable of speech again. All she had to do was say Olivia's name and Bruce and I tracked her down within the week."

"So where is she?" Oliver demanded.

"She's in Keystone at the moment. Visiting a mutual friend."

"So she's with Bart." Oliver rubbed his temples. He didn't think his headache could get any worse.

Chloe touched his arm at the bitterness in his voice. "Not like that. They're friends. He was as angry as you are about all this when he found out. But he got over it. He's one of the few old friends she still has. Obviously her regular friends would never understand the metahuman craziness. A lot of them grieved and moved on a long time ago. She's made a new life for herself."

"What about Connor?" Oliver said. His head hurt, hell his whole body felt like one massive bruise. His son thought of Olivia like a second mom. Olivia had even become his legal parent before she died.

"Connor was the one who found her. They threw him an early surprise 21st on Watchtower, since he was going away for awhile to train with Dick. He was there when Kyle picked up the energy spike. He didn't talk to anyone for days while she was still unconscious in medbay. When she woke up, he was just beside himself that she was alive, he didn't care about anything else."

"At least they have each other," Oliver said bluntly, shaking his head. They'd always been really close. Even before Sandra died, he noticed that Connor treated Olivia was more like a best friend than a parental figure. He clenched his fists to his sides. Biologically, Connor wasn't her son. In age, they were only about sixteen years apart. And considering she'd spent at least six of the last nine years in stasis while he got older, there'd be even less obvious discrepancies between them now.

Chloe snorted and clamped her hand over her mouth, her eyes widening. "Oh. No way. Just ewww! Oliver!" Chloe closed her eyes and shook her head vigorously.

"What!" he huffed, annoyed at her antics.

"Connor's her son. Not by birth but in every other way that counts. Oh gosh. You know, you always have been really dense when it comes to understanding relationships."

Oliver threw up his hands. "What am I supposed to think? Nobody tells me anything, and you're about as clear as mud."

Chloe folded her hands across her chest. "Don't blame us. You're the one who decided to cut off communications with everyone and rough your way through the wild."

Oliver deflated and stooped a little. She had a point. He'd chosen to be kept out of the loop. He hadn't wanted them tracking him or to hear any of their concerns. Most of all, he hadn't wanted any responsibility. If he wasn't in the know, then he couldn't be held accountable.

The door bell rang and Chloe squared her shoulders. "I have to get that before Alfred hears it and tries to beat me there."

Oliver followed her at a distance. Chloe opened the door and he watched her stiffen in surprise before she stepped out and pulled the door closed.

...

Chloe pushed the hair out of her eyes that the wind blew about her face. Her eyes darted between her friends' smiling faces.

"Surprise, 'Licious. Miss me yet?"

Olivia wasn't due back until Thursday. They'd obviously decided to move their reunion party to her doorstep. Chloe pulled her sweater tighter over her chest. "He's here," she said to Olivia. "Oliver's here."

The smile dropped from Olivia's face and she paled. "He's seen Ella then." Her gaze darted to Bart. "I don't think I can do this. Not yet."

Bart touched her arm. "Then when, Liv? When will you tell him? When she's fourteen, like Connor was when he wanted answers?"

Olivia shivered and hugged herself. Bart squeezed her upper arms and he kissed her forehead.

"You're gonna run aren't you?" she said accusingly.

"I like my body just the way it is thank you very much. Boss man's always been a hot head. Can't imagine that's changed," Bart said with a shrug. "Self preservation."

"Wimp," Olivia teased lightly.

Bart squeezed her hand. "Call me later. I can flash back here if you need reinforcements."

Olivia chuckled once and pushed him lightly on the chest. "Go on, get, before I lie and tell him Gabriella's yours."

Bart's eyes widened and he shook his head, while holding his hands up in surrender. "You wouldn't. You like having me around too much."

"Go," Olivia repeated threateningly. Bart saluted once and vanished.

...

Oliver watched them from the window. So it was the same between them. Nothing had changed for them. They were still firm friends. It was as though time had frozen for them, neither of them had aged. Bart's metabolism, unique physiology and constant energy bursts made him age slower than the rest of them, while Olivia's body had been at a stand-still for half a decade. Olivia turned to face the house when Bart left and his breath caught at her flawless face. She hadn't aged a day from how he remembered her. He wasn't remembering how she'd looked in the lab with all the wires and machines. He was remembering her party and the night they'd spent together before she'd disappeared from his life, in which he thought was forever. Her long inky curls rode the wind, her nose was pink from the cold and her lips were glossy, yet free for artificial color, naturally bluish red from being outdoors. Her large blue eyes caught his and widened. She looked nervous. So she should be, he thought angrily.

Olivia followed Chloe through the door. Shaking out her coat and taking off her thick woolen scarf, she searched for him, careening her neck. The weather was a almost frosty in Keystone at the moment. Gotham had, had a rare sunny cloudless autumn day but the air was still chilly. She spotted him standing just outside the foyer with one shoulder propped against the support column.

"Hey Ollie," she said warily.

Oliver nodded. "Did you even try to find me? Or were you planning on seeing my kid behind my back for ever?"

"Your kid?" Olivia nearly choked. She shot a look at Chloe and then back at Oliver.

"Yes, my kid. I might not be around much, but he's still my son."

Olivia released the breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding and felt her heart skitter the teeniest bit in her chest. So he wasn't referring to Gabriella. Nobody knew her true heritage except Bart, and as usual, it wasn't because she'd wanted to tell him. Well, she was sure J'onn and Connor had a pretty fair idea too, but she kept Gabriella's father's identity a secret. If she couldn't tell Oliver, she didn't want anyone to know. "Connor doesn't live with us. He visits now and again. He has his own life. He keeps my parents house in Star City. It's what they wanted. It's what I wanted for him." She took off her gloves and wrung them in her hands.

"Mamma!" a small voice cried.

Olivia had about three seconds to drop to her knees to envelope the human projectile that launched at her. "Hey munchkin, have you been a good girl for Auntie Chloe?"

The little head bobbed, curls bouncing. "And Uncle Alfwed made me bread."

"I think he made you a sandwich, sweetie. Although I'm pretty sure he knows how to bake bread too," she said rubbing her chin affectionately, while winking at the girl.

Oliver looked at them both. There was no mistaking that she was a miniature version of Olivia. Looks and brains. It was the last gesture Olivia made before standing with the girl, that had his heart racing. She thumbed Gabriella's chin lightly, in a short caress. When her thumb left the girl's face he noticed the dimple. The small indentation in the little girl's chin. The same one that Connor had. The same one that he saw in the mirror every morning.

He stared at her accusingly. "How?" he bit out painfully. The how covered so many questions that he had right now. How could she keep this from him? If their roles were reversed, he would have scoured the earth to find her. But then maybe it was because he loved her, that he'd want her in their child's life that he wouldn't give up. His chest felt like it was crushing the oxygen out of his lungs. He forced his feet to move. How did this happen? They'd slept together more than nine years ago. Even DNA cryogenically frozen wasn't considered viable after that long. At least not that he'd heard of.

"Oliver, it's complicated. No one knew how to find you. Even Connor tried through Kyle. Hal didn't want to be found either. I would have told you. I wanted to tell you."

Chloe had a fair idea all along who Gabriella's father was. The genetic similarities. The obvious ones were too hard to ignore. Olivia wasn't devious and bubbly by nature and there was no significant other in Olivia's life, even now. Hearing Bart's comments only confirmed her belief that Gabriella was Oliver's. And she was as curious as to the how as he was.

"The stasis. I didn't know I was pregnant. It wasn't until the third weekly check up that Dr. Mid-Nite picked it up. I was early stages, the embryo development was barely a crawl while I was under. I woke up with no idea how I was even alive, let alone what I was going to do with a baby. This isn't all just on me. We weren't exactly careful the last time we were together."

Oliver clenched his jaw. No, they hadn't thought about protection and he'd taken her multiple times that night fearing that he wouldn't hold her that way again. Fearing she was intoxicated and that she'd regret it. Partly because he thought she'd come to her senses come daylight, and partly because now he wondered if he had sensed her fading even then. He wondered if instinctively he'd known she was dying. "You named her Gabriella," he said his voice breaking.

"Gabriella Hannah King. After our mothers."

Gabriella looked between them with expressive eyes. Oliver was only a step away from them now. His eyes wet with tears. She reached out with chubby fingers and pushed his hair back from his forehead. She thumbed wrinkles around his eyes and cocked her head to one side. She seemed to be studying him. Finally, she moved her hands to his beard and covered his mouth. Staring at him, she squinted at him once before turning in Olivia's arms and looking up at her. "Daddy?"

Olivia felt tears burn in her eyes. She nodded. "It's Daddy."

Gabriella look back at him. Her bottom lip trembled a little as she small hand dropped from his mouth. "Stay, Daddy."

Oliver looked at Olivia pleading with her silently. What was he supposed to do? He did the only thing he could think of that seemed appropriate. He touched her round cheek and kissed her hair. "I plan on it, Ella."

Gabriella put her little arms around his neck and held onto him. Olivia shifted her to his arms and he held the child awkwardly feeling his throat close over with emotion when he felt her warm small weight against his chest.

"We watch old DVDs and look at family albums all the time. She's known all along who you are. I think the hair and the beard threw her a bit."

"Where does she think I've been all this time?" Oliver asked over her head, she had nestled into his shoulder. Moist puffs of air caressed his neck and it took all his effort not to snuggled back. He didn't want to scare her and he wasn't sure what she'd be comfortable with. He had this insane urge to hold her tight and never let go.

"I told her Daddy went on a mission, and he got lost. We've been waiting for him to find his way home."

Oliver leaned closer and touched his forehead to hers, burying his fingers in her hair and cupping her neck. "I've missed you so much."

Her first thought was for Connor. How much of his life had Oliver missed, and how much was he continuing to miss by avoiding him but she wouldn't bring that up now. "She's two next month. And she's heard about you her whole life. Trust me, dirty diapers, sleepless nights, potty training, you haven't missed much. You'll be here for all the good stuff; like a hundred and one questions about the same thing, trying to come up with creative ways to present healthy food and get it ingested, curbing bad behavior, averting tantrums, you know all the fun stuff."

Oliver straightened and quirked an eyebrow. "She throws tantrums?"

"Don't look so surprised. Don't you remember how you were when you were little?"

Oliver winced and looked a bit sheepish. "I try not to. I was a punk kid."

Olivia smiled. "She's not bad at all. She's just a normal kid."

Chloe coughed. "Not so normal but definitely a bundle of joy. What'd do you say we check on Uncle Alfred, Ella. Make sure the boys are behaving themselves?"

Gabriella nodded but when she realized that Chloe meant to take her away from Oliver, she clung to his neck tighter. "No, stay Daddy."

Chloe and Olivia shared a look. Chloe patted his arm sympathetically. "Reminds me of the first time Olivia left her with us. She was only six months old then. Good luck with that."

"Daddy can't carry you all day," Olivia reasoned rubbing circles on Gabriella's back. "I think he won't mind holding your hand though. Remember how Mommy told you that you're getting too big to be carried now. We can do cuddles but no carrying, okay?"

Gabriella looked at her with big watery eyes and Oliver wondered how Olivia managed to look so unaffected by it.

"Put her down Ollie."

Oliver didn't really want to put her down. Honestly, he could carry her all day and not even break a sweat. His quiver weighed more but Olivia didn't fold at all under the baleful eyes of their daughter so he thought it best to follow suit. He set the little girl down and no sooner had her feet touched the ground did she grab his finger. She'd tried to grab his hand but her little hand didn't even span his palm. He closed his fingers around the rest of her fist and stared down at her.

Olivia gathered Gabriella's hair and twisted it into one ringlet down her back. "Would you like to play in the garden for awhile?"

Gabriella nodded and pulled Oliver in the direction of the french doors. "Swing!" she squealed gleefully.

Oliver shot her a pleading look that said help. Olivia smiled and waved him on. "I'm coming."

They spent the rest of the evening laughing and talking. Olivia doing most of the talking, Oliver merely listened. She told him about Gabriella's first few months. Feeling like a cow for the longest time, till Gabriella started eating solids and she finally felt like she had limited freedom, time for herself, to do things like go out with friends and volunteer again. She was taking a few refresher courses so she could practice medicine again now that Gabriella was older and could be left with a sitter for longer periods of time.

During dinner, Gabriella insisted on sitting between them and only ate whatever Oliver ate. Turning into a little mimic. The bedtime routine was also thrown, when Gabriella would only go for her bath if Oliver sat where she could see him through the doorway. Oliver also got to read a bedtime story for the first time in his life. Even though she seemed to know the story back to front and turned the page every time he reached the last word, Oliver couldn't help but smile as she gazed at him in rapped wonder until he finished.

"Goodnight Ella," Olivia said bending to kiss her daughter's head and smooth back her hair.

"Ni-nite, Mama," she said snuggling into her pillow playfully. "Night Daddy."

"Good night, Gabriella," Oliver managed.

Olivia switched off the lamp and inched the door closed, leaving it open just a fraction. They barely made it four feet down the corridor before they were halted in their progress.

"Water, Mama."

"Go to sleep, Ella," Olivia warned.

"Some water, pleeese?" Ella said in a pitiful voice.

"You've already had some. Go to sleep, Gabriella."

Oliver was already walking back to the door. "I can fill her cup if..."

Olivia grabbed his arm and fixed him with a stern look. "It's a game. A test of wills. You give in once, the next time, good luck trying to get her into bed without asking for everything twice. We're the parents, she's the child."

"Peeessee, Mama."

"No Ella. Go to sleep," Olivia said in a non-nonsense manner. She narrowed her eyes at Oliver warning him to stand his ground.

They waited. The little voice didn't ask again. Satisfied her daughter had probably rolled over and was resigning to sleep, Olivia turned and headed for the stairs.

Oliver followed and caught her arm, tugging her up the landing and leading her into the corridor. He backed her to the wall and planted his hands either side of her head. Looming over her, he studied her closely. "You're good at this mothering stuff."

Olivia blushed. "I learn fast remember? It was a lot of headaches and tears in the beginning. It was tough having to do it on my own but we managed."

Oliver closed his eyes and squeezed her shoulders. He kissed her temple and gathered her close.

Olivia didn't protest until he was holding her so tight it was getting difficult to breathe. "Ollie. I'm here. If you want us, we won't be going anywhere."

"Damn right you won't," he said, pulling back, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm not losing you again."

Olivia sighed and held her palm to his bearded cheek. She smiled softly. "I didn't want to leave you. At least in my heart I didn't. Sometimes there's no choice in the matter."

Oliver couldn't hold back any longer. All day, since the first moment he's seen her, it had been like sitting on a spring, keeping the urge to jump her at bay. He needed to feel her skin, he needed to kiss her, taste her, hold her against his body so that he could prove to himself that she was real. "I need you."

At the raw urgency in his voice, she shivered involuntarily and her body tightened in awareness, her nipples hardening and her core pulsing in anticipation.

Oliver pulled her against him, letting her feel how much he wanted her. His erection throbbing against his clothing, the warmth flaring across her abdomen. He inched his head down and captured her mouth in a rough kiss, forcing her lips open as he thrust his tongue into her mouth.

Olivia opened her mouth and took him in, sucking on his tongue hungrily, welcoming the taste of him. Something so familiar and unique that she'd never thought she'd feel or have again swept over her. Her nipples tightened almost painfully and she arched against him, rubbing her aching breasts against the rough fabric of his denim jacket.

Yanking up his shirt from his pants, she pushed her palms up along his stomach to his chest. She flicked her thumbs over his nipples and he groaned into her mouth before nipping at her bottom lip. He grinned wolfishly at her and cupped her bottom with both hands, hoisting her up.

Olivia smiled at him and peppered kisses over his face before biting down lightly on his earlobe. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he walked them down the hallway to one of the many guest rooms at Wayne Manor. She started attacking his buttons with fervor and he chuckled. "You don't know how long it's been for me. I hope you're not feeling tired," he teased with a wink.

Olivia smirked at him, her eyes twinkling. "Oh I think I'll keep up just fine."

A few hours later, they lay naked together on the bed. The blue moonlight casting an enchanting glow over them and the white linens a tangled mess between them. Olivia had her head on his chest, and one leg tucked between his. Oliver had one of her hands between his hand he was rubbing light patterns over it. He stopped over her ring finger and brought her hand to his lips.

"Marry, me," he whispered against her fingers.

Olivia propped herself up and studied his face. "Is that what you really want?" she asked. She knew Oliver could be impulsive, and she knew he wanted her. It was obvious in the way he was half hard against her leg. Three times already and he was raring to go again. But lust was a passing urge that could be satisfied in a lot of different ways and not necessarily by the same person. He loved her. He had before and by the way he was holding her now, the tender way he touched her skin, worshiping her like a goddess of some kind, the way his eyes were searching hers in the darkness, it was like her answer was his lifeline.

"You know what I am without you. Just going through the motions, living but not really breathing, seeing but not taking in anything. I couldn't let you go before. I just don't know how." He kissed her hand and held it against his heart.

It was thundering in his chest. He truly was afraid to lose her.

"No one lives forever Ollie. No matter how much I never want to put you through that again, I can't promise you anything," she said sadly her voice breaking. She leaned over and kissed his mouth with all the love she had for him. "But of course I'll marry you."

At her answer, Oliver smiled that roguish, charming, heart palpitating smile she knew so well.

"And I hope you don't mind, but I want to get working on baby number two. You've always wanted a big family too right?"

Olivia laughed loudly as he turned and settled himself till he was nestled between her legs. "You're insatiable. I thought I was horny being celibate for so long. You know you corrupted me all those years ago and being without it for this long nearly drove me crazy."

Oliver snorted in protest. "Woman, imagine how frustrated I felt when I thought someone else had you. Although whatever made me think anyone could sire a beautiful kid like Ella but me, crazy huh?"

"You're the king of green, that's why." Olivia slapped his arm, before she dragged his head down to kiss him again. She gasped with a silent oh against his mouth when he entered her slowly. She was already warm and slick from all their lovemaking and her body stretched around him, sheathing him completely. His heavy weight running the length of her, his taut well sculpted arms braced at her sides, never had she felt more content or blissful. He began to move inside her with long steady strokes. Over and over pushing deeper, hitting that spot past her womb that made her breasts tingle and her abdominal muscles flutter. In a matter of minutes he had her soaring again and one stroke against her clit and she was plummeting, falling with him. Sobbing his name into his neck as she trembled all over, her walls milking him, drawing his seed into her core.

Oliver rolled to his side holding her hip firmly, so that he stayed inside her. "So you never answered me, before. You do want more kids?"

Olivia brushed his damp hair back from his eyes. He needed a hair cut, his bangs were practically down around the bridge of his nose. She smiled and cocked her head regarding him thoughtfully. "I don't know, can you really afford us as it is?"

Oliver groaned at the reminder that he had never really worked at sorting out his lack of employment. He'd never settled down long enough to make something stick. "I'll work as a mechanic if I have to. Or maybe I could try public service? There's a lot of things I've seen over the years. Stuff I'd like to change about the way our government operates."

"Oliver Queen, Mayor of Star City. I don't know, it could work," Olivia teased with a thoughtful grin. "After all, if I was your campaign manager, how could you lose?"

"You'd really go back? I thought you wanted a new life. No doubt people would recognize you. Running for mayor would put us in the spotlight."

Olivia smiled and took his face between her hands. She kissed him thoroughly. "Someone with the right kind of access owed me a favor. On paper I'm, Olivia Quinn, second cousin once removed to Olivia Eimear King. My story will stand up to any background check or nosy reporters who cares to go digging. Mom's second cousin is a renown Irish playboy, he's probably sired a fifth of Ireland's generation Y. As for my appearance, I was thinking a change of hair style and maybe some specs. It works for someone else we know."

Oliver rolled his eyes at her insinuation at Clark's disguise. Nothing got by her and he wondered how many secrets she kept locked in that head of hers. Checkmate had certainly sent her all over digging up information on all the masked heroes and villains alike. Although she'd never said if they'd questioned her about him, he knew she would have protected him any way that she could. It's just how she was. Even at the expense of her own life. He never did get to thank her properly for what she'd suffered to protect his secret from Lex.

"Olivia Queen," he said softly, kissing her lips. His bearded chin rubbing slightly against her smooth one.

Olivia smiled up at him, her eyes wet with tears. "After all this time. I finally have you? Checkmate, Mr. Queen."

"For you. I happily surrender, Ms. King."

The End

* * *

**Thank yous:** To Nienna Tinehtele for sticking with me all the way through. I kept working away for you and FlyingHigh (K-site) to get this completed. I hope you enjoyed to journey. :D


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